Wild Horse Chase
by turbomagnus
Summary: A collection of my Ranma 1/2 shorts, drabbles and snippets. Characters, situations and pairings may vary, but Ranma/Nabiki will likely feature prominently.
1. Deliberate Misconceptions

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. Whether or not that goal can be reached, we'll see... This is The 365 Project, 15 January.

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 belongs to Rumiko Takahashi and is used for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit. The song "She Only Gets That Way With Me" belongs to Toby Keith and whoever else and is used for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit.

Yes, I copied and pasted the stupid disclaimers. Stupid disclaimers, making me have to write them for every story. It's a conspiracy! That's what it is, a conspiracy - disclaimers are out to take over the world and they're using innocent fanfiction writers as pawns to increase their numbers!

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><p>"Deliberate Misconceptions"<br>By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'

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><p>"So," one of the other boys sitting on the grass waiting for his turn in gym class poked Ranma in the side with his elbow, "What's it like?"<p>

Ranma looked back at the other boy, Daisuke or something like that, "What's what like?"

"You know," Daisuke tilted his head towards the field where the girls in the gym class were currently playing baseball, "Living with _Her_ - it's gotta be something."

Ranma knit his fingers together and put them behind his head as he laid back in the grass, "I guess."

The other boy with them, Ranma thought his name was Hiroshi, looked at him in shock, "You guess?"

Somehow, despite his position, Ranma managed to shrug, "What can I say?"

"Well, no one else lives with _Her_, so what's she like outside of school? What's she like at home?" Daisuke pushed, causing the pigtailed boy to shake his head.

"She ain't shy, she's outspoken, boys, she always speaks her mind..." Ranma smirked more to himself than anyone else, "Except those quiet little moments when I am all she needs and I hold her tenderly..."

When he noticed the excited and almost hopeful looks on their faces, he had to burst their bubbles, "Sorry, guys, she only gets that way with me. She don't cry, somehow she seems to keep it all inside... until those magic little moments when I am all she needs and life is good, you see..."

Ranma suddenly say up, crossing his leds and resting his arms on his knees as he looked at first one, then the other of the two boys, "She gets sad sometimes, she'll never show it; you might make her mad, but you'll never know it..."

Hiroshi and Daisuke exchanged a slightly confused look that said 'What is he talking about?' They and everyone else at school knew that when Akane got made everyone in a block radius usually knew it.

Ranma chuckled to himself, "She don't wear her heart out on her sleeve; she only gets that way with me. Nobody knows what I know about _Her_; her hopes, her dreams, why she is who she is... Everyone else just thinks they know what I do about _Her_. She ain't weak, my baby's just as strong as she can be - until the nights she comes and tells me that the want-to in my eyes gives her butterflies..."

This had the other two boys stunned, neither of them could believe that things had really gotten that far between the two.

Standing up, Ranma stretched his arms into the air as he finished, "And she only gets that way with me."

"That's what it's like living with Akane?" Hiroshi blinked, "Wow..."

"Akane?" Ranma frowned and scratched his cheek, "I was talkin' about Nabiki, that's _Her _to me."

"Wha-!" Both Hiroshi and Daisuke facefaulted into the dirt.

Daisuke managed to recover first, "You're cheating on your fiancee with her sister!"

"No, I ain't!" Ranma snarled back at that insulting statement, "I ain't never cheated on Nabiki with nobody, especially not that Uncute Tomboy!"

"But _Akane_'s your fiancee!" Hiroshi countered.

"I don't know why people keep sayin' that," Ranma snorted as he glowered, "But it ain't true - everyone just assumes it's Akane because she calls herself something she ain't. Comparing her to me as a Martial Artist is like comparing Kuno to Torii Mototada, it just don't work that way."

"I heard your father call Akane your fiancee, though," Daisuke brought up triumphantly.

"The panda's a sorry hypocrite," Ranma shook his head firmly, a dark shape seeming to form in the air behind him, "He and his friend tell me to pick my fiancee and then everyone just starts saying it's Akane when I never even got a chance to make a choice. It don't matter what Akane calls herself, Anything Goes-Martial Arts is my life and only one of the Tendos gets it that Anything Goes means anything goes and I chose _Her_. The rest of the idiots around here don't like it, you can all feel free to fight me over the brick-breaker's 'honor', just don't be surprised to wake up at Tofu-Sensei's clinc, got it?"

Both boys gulped audibly and answered in unison, "We got it!"

Suddenly the tension in the air disappeared and Ranma smirked and clapped his hands down on their shoulders, "Great! Glad we had this talk, guys. Think I'm gonna walk around a bit while I'm waiting my turn."

As soon as they thought Ranma was out of earshot, one of the boys turned to the other, "Hiroshi?"

"Yeah?" the other boy answered.

"Are we still alive?"

"I think so," Hiroshi patted his chest just to be sure, "Daisuke?"

"Yeah?" Daisuke answered.

"I don't think we're ever gonna bring up his engagement situation around Ranma again," Hiroshi suggested.

"I think we're gonna stay as far out of it as we can get," Daisuke agreed, then added, "The way everyone keeps talking, do you even think the Tendos know about Ranma's choice?"

Hiroshi shook his head, "If they don't, I don't want to be anywhere near when they find out."


	2. Graveyard Shift

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. Whether or not that goal can be reached, we'll see... This is The 365 Project, 17 January.

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 belongs to Rumiko Takahashi and is used for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit.

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><p>"Graveyard Shift"<br>By J. T. Magnus, 'Turbo'

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><p>Kneeling in the graveyard, Nabiki lit the incense and laid it in the shallow bowl on top of her mother's gravestone before she bowed her head.<p>

"Forgive me, Mother," she began to whisper, "I've always been selfish, everything I've done has benefited me somehow, even if it's just to prove I can outsmart and manipulate people into doing what I want... but what I'm about to do, it's selfish and I can't help wanting it, it's going to tear the family apart and even knowing that I still have to do it."

"Father and Akane will be angry," Nabiki continued, "Father will probably disown me, and Kasumi won't understand... He chose me. Of all the girls chasing after him, he chose someone who wasn't even in the game."

The corners of Nabiki's mouth twitched, "Maybe that's why he chose me; I was playing hard-to-get without even knowing it, and I know as well as anyone how some people like a challenge since I'm one of those people. Well, we're about to get our wish, aren't we? This is going to be the biggest challenge of both of our lives and we're going to be facing it with no one but each other since the family will be against us."

"I need him, Mother, and I'll need him to protect me, because I can destroy anyone going after him in ways they can't imagine, but I can't do that to my own Father and sisters," Nabiki shook her head, "He couldn't do anything to them for attacking him, but if they came after me then I can't say the same thing. It's ironic; we can't fight our own battles, but we can each fight the other's."

The lip-twitch came back, "I guess that's what being in a relationship means, isn't it? Looking after each other? It's been so long since you died, I've almost forgotten; Akane looks out for Akane most of the time, Father... I don't know what he looks out anymore... and Kasumi tries to look out for everyone, but to do that she's had to cut herself off emotionally to the point where there's no connection anymore. I'm sorry, Mother, but I can't do this anymore. I've had to look out for myself ever since you died and now it's time for me to live for myself... and for him. I've been staying alive ever since you died, but now it's time to really live..."

"I'm sorry, Mother," Nabiki said as she stood up, dusting off the knees of her tan cargo pants as she did so, "But I won't be back; We may not be able to escape our problems, but we can put some distance between them and us to give us some time to prepare to deal with them. We won't start anything, Mother, that I can promise, but we will put an end to anything anyone else starts with us; even former-family."

Bending down, she picked up the backpack that was sitting next to the grave, "Forgive me if you can, Mother, because I don't think anyone else will."

Shrugging on the backpack, Nabiki turned and began walking through the graveyard, between the rows of stone until she reached the gate and the man waiting for her there. As she stepped out of the graveyard, he reached out and put his hand on the small of her back, just under her backpack, an intimate gesture from someone unaccustomed to touch without it being an attack that was almost the same as a deep kiss from anyone else.

"You ready?" The pig-tailed man asked softly.

Nabiki nodded and answered in the same quiet tone, "Let's get out of here..."


	3. Suspended Footwear

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. Whether or not that goal can be reached, we'll see... This is The 365 Project, 24 January.

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 belongs to Rumiko Takahashi and is used for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit.

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><p>"Suspended Footwear Is A Bad Thing"<br>By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'

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><p>He'd never before had a day where he was tempted to invoke Murphy's Law, but that day had finally came. He didn't like days that were the 'calm before the storm', he much preferred the days when things were already crazy and he was caught in the middle of them - there was never that feeling of dread and impending doom where one had to wonder what was coming. This was the third quiet day in a row, though, and it was beginning to wear on his nerves. The first day was just uncomfortable, the second had put him on edge, today he was walking around on the proverbial eggshells, waiting for the other shoe to drop. Even person he saw, he watched carefully, wondering if they'd be the one to initiate events and return the missing craziness to his life.<p>

It didn't help that the people he could normally count on to get things started with a shouted death threat and an attack seemed to be avoiding him. It was enough to leave him fuming almost, the one time he actually wanted them to pull that stunt and they were nowhere to be seen. Even the most short-tempered person he knew wasn't willing to throw a punch at him for some reason, they just turned up their nose and walked away in a huff. It just wasn't right; there were supposed to be love-crazed suitors after both of them, death threats and attacks, ancient magic artifacts and curses...

He hadn't even been affected by an unexpected splash of water in three days - he knew he was still cursed, he had tested it - it was like the universe had looked at itself and said, 'Ok, Saotome's just not entertaining anymore... Who's next on the list?' He could handle all the insanity, but if this was what a normal life was supposed to be like, he wasn't sure he'd be able to take it much longer. If something didn't happen soon, he didn't know what he was going to do...


	4. Shadows of Men and of Horses

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. Whether or not that goal can be reached, we'll see... This is The 365 Project, 22 February.

After 'killing' Saffron, Ranma doesn't return to Japan, instead he is brought to a new teacher...

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and "The Shadow" of Smith & Street Publications, as written by 'Maxwell Grant', each being used for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit. Some dialogue is borrowed from the novelization of the movie "The Shadow" by James Lucano.

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><p>-o0O0o-<p>

"Shadows of Men and of Horses"  
>By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'<p>

-o0O0o-

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><p>"Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? ...The Shadow Knows."<p>

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><p>-o0o-<p>

There was no real way of knowing how long he had been walking; it could have been days or weeks, months or years. Time had no meaning, he slept when he was tired, found food and ate when he was hungry, walked when he wasn't either. But he didn't have to fight, and for the first time in his life, he welcomed that. For the first time in his life, he didn't want to fight, didn't want to learn any new techniques or practice the ones which he already knew. He had tried, at first, but something was missing now, he knew what it was, how he had lost it. He had seen himself without limits and for the first time in his life, something besides memories of the pit scared him. _He_ scared him. So he left everything behind, left the girl for others to take home, and started walking. He hadn't stopped since for more than a few hours at a time. If he stopped, someone might find him and then he might have to fight. He didn't want to fight, he didn't want to risk reaching that point again where he might have to kill to survive. If he did, he wasn't sure he would survive it. He already wasn't sure who he was anymore. There were certain pillars his life was built on, but one was cracked and crumbling already before this and now with the loss of a second, he just wasn't sure of anything anymore besides the fact that he never wanted to see that part of himself again, that part that could kill...

It scared him because it was so easy to let go and let it out. _He_ scared him.

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><p>-o0o-<p>

Two men had been following the young man for three days without rest or stopping on the part of either party. Between themselves, they would admit that they were impressed by their target's endurance, proof of a level of mastery over the physical that few reached. That endurance, however, would not keep them from completing their mission. It was a point of pride, of purpose and of honor that they and others like them never failed in a mission for their master.

That night, when their target finally slept, he became their prisoner.

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><p>-o0o-<p>

When Saotome Ranma awoke, he felt as if he were flying. It was as the ground approached that he realised that he wasn't flying, he had been thrown through the air. It was only a lifetime of training in The Art that gave him the ingrained reflexes needed to roll and reduce the force of the impact despite his disoriented state. As Ranma rolled up to a knee and gained his bearings, he heard the sound of movement and looked behind him to see a large set of double doors swinging closed, the view of outside between them growing narrower by the second until with a resounding boom they shut tight. Ranma's problem with that was the simple fact that he didn't see anyone else in the large, richly funished hall he now found himself in, certainly not the four or more people it would take to shut doors of that size.

"Two men run, a coward and a wise man," a voice echoed in the room, "Which are you, I wonder."

"Who's there?" Ranma demanded, "Who're you?"

"I am an insect fluttering in the dung. I roll in the dung like a pig. I digest it and fashion it into gold dust, into a brook of pure water, into stars," The voice answered, "To fashion stars out of dog dung, is that not great work?"

Ranma frowned as he stood up and looked around the hall, "What've I gotta do with stars?"

"Nothing. But you have much in common with dog dung."

"Alright," Ranma's eyes narrowed at the insult, "Who are you?"

"Your teacher."

"No thanks," Ranma retorted, "I've had enough teachers for one lifetime."

"Then perhaps it is time for a second," the voice suggested.

Ranma started walking down the hall, between the massive red marble and gold columns supporting the roof and away from the sealed door, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Your body is strong, Saotome Ranma..." the voice observed, "I will make your mind stronger."

"What makes you think I want to be stronger?" Ranma snapped back defensively, uncomfortable with the fact that this faceless voice knew his name.

"You have no choice. There is a darkness within you, Saotome Ranma, a black shadow which thrives on creating chaos and destruction, you have given into it by taking a life."

"I did it to save Akane," Ranma answered, standing in the middle of the hall and looking around, "To protect an innocent, I took a life."

"Nevertheless," the voice continued, "That shadow exists. Now you will learn to use it to stop chaos and destruction, to combat darkness instead of fomenting it. Every one pays a price for redemption, this is yours. You have no choice. You _will _be redeemed."

Eyes narrowed and nostrils flared as Ranma focused trying to fight back that fear enough to charge up a Moko Takabisha, "Or I could just blow those doors open and leave."

"I wouldn't do that," the voice advised.

Contrary, though, Ranma turned back towards the large doors and unleashed the Moko Takabisha, watching in satisfaction as it flew through the air towards the doors. Satisfaction turned to surprise and shock, however, when it simply bounced off the doors and came back towards him, blasting him down the other half of the hall when it hit and leaving him on the floor with his back against an altar at the far end of the hall from the doors.

The voice had a comment for that, "He who knows how could live comfortably in hell."

"Is that where I am?" Ranma groaned in pain from having his own attack turned back on him, "In hell?"

A young boy appeared, hovering above the altar in a seated lotus position, clothed in robes that matched the surroundings in their richness. He had narrow eyes, a wide nose and full lips on a face under a cleanly shaven skull. Leaning forward to look down at Ranma, he smiled lightly and spoke with the same voice that had tormented him since being thrown into the room...

"Not yet."


	5. Chibified - Wild Horses and Family Trees

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. Whether or not that goal can be reached, we'll see... This is The 365 Project, 5 March.

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and ...Honestly, I'm not sure who owns Tenchi Muyo anymore, really... each being used for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit.

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><p>-o0O0o-<p>

"Wild Horses and Family Trees"  
>By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'<p>

-o0O0o-

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><p>"The problem with family trees is that some are nut trees." - Anon.<p>

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><p>-o0o-<p>

Saotome Ranma found himself wondering how this had happened, how he had ended up being dragged to a shrine in the middle of nowhere like he was...

'Oh, right,' he thought, 'Mom showed up without warning, so I didn't have time to become 'Ranko' first, Pops was out with Mr. Tendo, so I couldn't escape when she decided I needed to go with her to visit her side of the family.'

He didn't have a problem with shrines; he'd visited tons of shrines, temples, dojos and places like that with his old man during their trip. He just wasn't sure he liked the idea of family; his old man had ruined his life and his mom would probably make him kill himself when she found out about his curse, he didn't want to think about what the rest of his family might be like. He hadn't ever considered this as a possibility, he'd never thought seriously that the insanity in Nerima was just following him, but first Jusenkyo and the Amazons, then Nerima and everything there and now the current situation.

'Maybe it _is_ me,' he thought, 'Maybe Akane's right and everything really is all my fault.'

His mom's brother-in-law was strange, he was supposed to be some kind of prince, but he kept a shrine; not that it bothered Ranma, at least since he was older and married it meant that he was one prince that wouldn't come looking for a bride that he'd end up saving Akane from for a change. His aunt, though, his mother's sister - she reminded him of Shampoo, kinda; right down to a weird hair color, he'd never seen anyone with that shade of bright cyan-blue hair before. She talked about being some kind of pirate, semi-reformed and -retired, which didn't really affect Ranma considering some of the people he had met. It was when they had asked him to go get his grandmother for lunch that things had gone crazy even by his generous standards.

The crab-shaped nameplate on the door was cute, different than the ducks that each of the Tendo sisters had on their bedroom doors, though Ranma had at first thought it was a little childish for someone so old her children had children of their own. Then he considered it a moment longer and decided that if his grandmother wanted to have a crab-shaped nameplate on her door, it was better than being an underwear thief and an old ghoul like the other two old people he knew. Ranma had opened the door and stepped through into a room that was way too big for the amount of space in the house. He took two steps forward only for the door to swing shut behind him and when he had tried to open it, it wouldn't budge. Calling out, he had started to look around the room at all the weird machines and computer-looking things while he tried to find his grandmother. After a few minutes, he had felt something behind him and before he could turn around everything went black. Which was why he now found himself in a situation that dealing with Kodachi had made him more used to than he'd like - waking up stripped to his boxers and bound to a table.

"Good morning!" A red-head that was even shorter than his cursed form chirped, "I'm Washu-chan and you must be Nodoka's little one - don't worry, I wouldn't do anything _permanent _to my daughter's only child."

Ranma looked around the room, the lab, down at the straps holding him to the table, then to Washu, "Uh... Granny..."

Suddenly, he felt like the time Ryoga had knocked him into a generator during one of their fights as the metal straps were electrified, shocking the pigtailed martial artist for a few seconds before the current cut off and left him laying there stunned.

"Uh-uh-uh," Washu wagged her finger at him, "We don't talk like that to the Cutest Scientist in the Universe, got it?"

A chibi-puppet version of Ranma's grandmother popped up over her left shoulder, "You're the greatest, Washu-chan!"

"And the cutest, too!" A second chibi-puppet added as it popped up over her right shoulder.

For the first time in years, Ranma's brain cell dedicated to analysing a situation and the brain cell for thinking about things not having to do with The Art met. To commemorate their encounter, they decided to have a little party in the pigtailed boy's cerebral cortex and by the time it was through, he had come to a stunning and frightening realisation that he couldn't keep himself from giving voice to...

"Oh, Kamis all," Ranma groaned in despair, "_I'm_ the normal one in the family!"

-o0o-

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><p>Furinkan High School,<br>Nerima Ward,  
>Six weeks later...<p>

"Now, foul sorceror, prepare to meet thy doom!" Kuno's voice cut across the schoolyard.

"Geez, Kuno," Ranma rolled his eyes, "How much are you paying the Drama Club to write these lines for you?"

"Silence, cur! I strike!" Kuno stabbed out with his bokken, only for Ranma to leap over the kendoist, twist in midair and land on his feet facing the 'True Blunder' of Furinkan.

"Really, how many times have I beat you, Kuno? Yeah, every time, that's right," Ranma reminded him, only for a chibi-puppet of his male form to pop out over his right shoulder.

"He's really not that good, is he, Ranma-kun?" the puppet asked, only to be joined by a chibi-puppet of Ranma's female form appearing over the martial artist's left shoulder and answering the question.

"It doesn't matter how good Kuno is," the female form chibi-puppet commented, "Ranma-kun's the best!"

"He's the greatest!" male chibi-Ranma agreed.

"And so manly!" female-chibi Ranma added, causing the full-sized Ranma to groan.

'Why did Mom have to talk her into adding that to them?' he groaned. Really he did like 'Chibi-ma' and 'Chibi-ko', Chibi-puppets of his male and female forms based on Washu's own Chibi-Washus, a present from the 'Greatest and Cutest Scientist in The Universe' for over ten years of missed birthdays, but sometimes they just reminded him of the simple fact that his entire family was nuts.

"I liked him better before he got those things," Nabiki muttered from the window of a second floor classroom as Chibi-ma and Chibi-ko pulled a small table and pair of microphones out of nowhere and began commentating on the latest round of Ranma versus Kuno when the kendoist turned around and attacked again.


	6. Genetics At Its Finest

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. Whether or not that goal can be reached, we'll see... This is The 365 Project, 6 March.

Fairly large Author's Note at the end; good reading for anyone interested in the thought processes that were behind the creation of this story.

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and is being used for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit.

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><p>-o0O0o-<p>

"Genetics At Its Finest"  
>By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'<p>

-o0O0o-

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><p>"This idea looked a lot better on paper," Nabiki muttered to herself as she walked carefully around puddles and pools, taking more than just great care to avoid stepping or falling into any of them.<p>

It really had looked a lot better on paper. Business was based on certain concepts, among them the law of supply and demand - if supply is greater than demand then prices drop because people are less willing to pay more money for something; conversely, if demand is greater than supply then prices can go up because people will be willing to pay more for something that is harder to get. It was a simple concept and one that Nabiki had always used to great effect; she kept track of what was in supply and what was in demand and used it to turn small amounts of money into larger amounts; in some cases, such as the pictures of Akane and Ranma-chan, she even controlled the supply. Now it was time to branch out a little; there was a great demand in Nerima for a certain product and she intended to get her hands on a supply before anyone else could do it themselves. Tendo Nabiki intended to become Nerima Ward's primary distributor of water from the 'Spring of Drowned Boy'.

If she could ever find the blasted thing.

"You'd think that since he's the stupid guide to this place, that idiot would've found some way to re-map the springs when half the map was lost," she ranted, "But no, they just leave it incomplete and useless for only the Kami know how long. Really, does that idiot do anything besides tell people what spring they just fell in?"

Nabiki growled to herself as she lifted her GPS and looked at it before shoving it back in her pocket, "First, find spring; second, mark location; third, get some people out here to get the water... then I can hire someone to beat some sense into that stupid guide. Yeah, I like that 'to do' list..."

So caught up was Nabiki in her thoughts that she didn't notice the small black shape darting in front of her until she was already falling forward, arms pinwheeling until she landed with a splash face-first in one of the pools. Rolling onto her back and sitting up to spit out the mouthfull of water she had ended up with, Nabiki reached into one of her pockets and pulled out a small compact mirror that she had, looking to see what the damage was, knowing that even if she was still human something had to have happened unless it had been one of the rare 'blank' pools...

"What on Earth!"

She was still a girl, at least, but instead of looking like herself, she looked like a blend of her sisters with black hair and hazel eyes.

"Oh!" That insipid guide cried as he appeared out of nowhere too late to be of any help, just reinforcing Nabiki's opinion of his uselessness, "Ms. Customer fall in Spring of Drowned Girl, very tragic tale of girl who drown there many years ago. Now whoever fall in Spring take form of girl."

"I was already a girl, you twit!" Nabiki shouted at him.

"Girl who fall in Spring come out different, same if boy fall in Spring of Drowned Boy," the guide shrugged, "No one know why."

Nabiki clenched her teeth and narrowed her eyes - a second identity could be useful, she was already having ideas, but her clothes were wet, her GPS was ruined and all that idiot guide could say was 'No one know why'... Cupping her hand, she scooped up a handful of water from the Spring, knowing exactly what she was going to do with it.

* * *

><p>-o0O0o-<p>

Author's Note: Everyone who has taken biology at some point is probably familiar with those cute little grids of genetics; the Punnett Square. For those that don't remember, a quick recap - a Punnett Square is a grid used to predict the possibility to traits being passed on to offspring, whether plant or animal - including humans. The traits of one catagory are listed across the top and go down, the traits of the other across the side and go over. Then you simply note down what the possible combinations are at each intersecting square. For a basic example, a black haired-blue eyed father and a brown haired-brown eyed mother would have black and brown across the top and blue and brown on the side. This results in a four square grid with black and blue, black and brown, brown and blue, and brown and brown. Of course, it can get more complex when you begin taking dominant and recessive genes into account, but that's the basic concept. Ranma-chan is generally accepted to be Ranma if he'd been born female, meaning that it's the same genetics and that the red hair and blue eyes are likely recessive genes from his parents.

Using that as the basis for hypothesis, I began to wonder; outside of certain specifications, the Jusenkyo Springs seem to operate using the cursed person's original form as a base - Shampoo's cat is still purple like her hair, P-Chan still has Ryoga's direction problem, Mousse's duck is still near-sighted, all just like when they're humans; and Kiima used a 'blank' spring to create 'Spring of Drowned Akane' to take her form which overwrites the 'Spring of Drowned Girl' she first used as a disguise because 'SoDA' is specific, 'SoDG' is generic, so it's safe to conclude there that Kiima's SoDG form is her as a 'normal' girl.

Recap so far;  
>1. Jusenkyo seems to use a person's original form as a base to create their cursed form.<br>2. Ranma-chan is possibly based on Ranma's recessive genes.  
>3. Some pools are 'specific' cursed forms, others are 'generic'.<p>

I then asked myself; 'What would happen if a girl fell into the Spring of Drowned Girl... would she _really_ be unaffected by it?' The story that you have just read is based on the conclusion I reached.


	7. Chibified II - Commentary

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. Whether or not that goal can be reached, we'll see... This is The 365 Project, 7 March.

Since Wonderbee asked, here is the fight between Ranma and Kuno with Chibi-ma and Chibi-ko commentating.

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and ...Honestly, I'm not sure who owns Tenchi Muyo anymore, really... each being used for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit.

-o0O0o-

"Wild Horses and Family Trees"  
>'Commentary'<br>By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'

-o0O0o-

"Wrestling may be choreographed, but anyone who says its 'fake' has never been hit over the head with a steel chair." - Anon.

-o0o-

"It's a beautiful night for a fight here at Furiken Stadium, isn't it, Chibi-ma?" The female chibi-Ranma puppet sitting behind the table asked of her partner.

"It's early morning and this is a school, Chibi-ko," the male chibi-Ranma puppet shook his head, sometimes he thought Chibi-ko took after Ranma-kun's mother and Washu-chan a little too much.

Chibi-ko looked around at Ranma-kun and Kuno Tatewaki facing off, the large walls surrounding the area, the spectators, and frowned, "You're sure it's a school? The only thing missing is the vendors selling popcorn and drinks - unless you count Ucchan - it looks like some kind of stadium or arena to me."

Chibi-ma looked around like his partner had, then looked at her, "I hate it when you have a point."

"Hey, the fight's about to start - Stupid Kuno's even ranting about how the 'foul sorceror' trapped the 'Pig-Tailed Goddess's' soul in a doll, this might be a good one if he'll go all out over that," Chibi-ko commented.

"I don't know, Chibi-ko," Chibi-ma said, "Kuno's left arm looks like he's holding it kinda low - that kind of stance may hurt him in the later rounds."

"This is Kuno here, Chibi-ma," Chibi-ko countered, "I'm betting on a first round knock-out. Ask Nabiki if you don't believe me - I've got twenty-five hundred yen down on it."

"Sure, for the morning fight, but we all know he'll be back later in the day for another go," Chibi-ma reminded his partner.

"Not if Ranma-kun puts him in the school infirmary for the rest of the day," Chibi-ko pointed out, "Come on, Ranma-kun! Do it for me!"

Chibi-ma groaned and shook his head; Ranma-kun had looked at them to see what Chibi-ko was yelling about and ended up losing about two inches off of his hair to a slash from Kuno's bokken. The wooden practice sword itself never touched Ranma-kun, it was all air pressure. Kuno could do things like this and the tomboy thought she was a better martial artist, even than him? The only reason she ever won was because the Kendoist pulled his punches fighting her since his desires and his declaration were in conflict; he wanted to win to date the tomboy, but he never wanted to actually hurt her in the process. For all his 'unique' habits, Kuno probably understood restraint better than any of the other martial artists in Nerima, now that Chibi-ma thought about it, maybe even better than Ranma-kun since Kuno could restrain himself without it looking like he was mocking his opponent by not going all out. The fact that the tomboy never demanded Kuno fight her 'for real' like she did Ranma-kun was proof of that.

Turning his attention back to the fight, Chibi-ma was just in time to see Ranma-kun's idea of revenge for the haircut as he got Kuno in a headlock and...

"Oh, good gods!" Chibi-ma exclaimed in horrified shock, "There's gotta be a law against that!"

"Don't worry, Kuno," Chibi-ko added, "We're sure that somewhere out there is a girl who'll think that's a good look for you. If nothing else, there's always Azusa!"

"Now I'm _sure _there's a law against that," Chibi-ma remarked before shout at the kendoist, "Your father would be proud of you, Kuno!"

"Quick, somebody call Superman," Chibi-ko joked, "Lex Luthor's here now!"

The two chibi-puppets had a good laugh, even if most of the student body were still staring at Kuno standing there, looking at his hair laying on the ground around him after being on the recieving end of a Katchu Tenshin Amaguriken-noogie from his opponent.

"Five hundred yen on him calling Ranma-kun 'Foul Sorceror'," Chibi-ma commented to Chibi-ko.

"Nuh-uh," Chibi-ko shook her head, "It's gonna be 'Cur', I'll bet on it."

Kuno slowly reached up and patted his head with a hand before clenching his bokken tight and growling at Ranma-kun, "Disgraceful cur! How dare you defile the beauteous head of the noble scion of Kuno in such a way!"

"Pay up, sparky," Chibi-ko held her hand out to recieve the ten fifty-yen coins that Chibi-ma gave her.

Raising his bokken over his head, Kuno charged Ranma, only to recieve a swift kick to the jaw that sent him flying over the school building.

"And he's not The Heart-Break Kid, but Ranma-kun certainly played Kuno some sweet chin music today, folks," Chibi-ma announced, "It just goes to show that charging into battle with your sword raised and screaming just doesn't cut it anymore."

"Winners of today's 'Morning Matchup' betting pool, please remember to see Tendo Nabiki to collect your winnings," Chibi-ko continued, "And feel free to join us later for the Lunchtime Launchpad and the After-School Aftershocks!"

"For Chibi-ko and Ranma-kun, this is Chibi-ma saying... Good morning, now get to class!"

-o0O0o-

Author's Note; Yes, I was influenced somewhat by Jim "J.R." Ross and Jerry "The King" Lawler, why do you ask?


	8. Chibified III - What It's All About

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. This is The 365 Project, 10 March.

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and ...Honestly, I'm not sure who owns Tenchi Muyo anymore, really... each being used for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit.

* * *

><p>-o0O0o-<p>

"Wild Horses And Family Trees"  
>'What It's All About'<br>By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'

-o0O0o-

* * *

><p>Nighttime in the Tendo house, a time of still peace and quiet tranquility... unless of course anyone happens to be home that night. When the house is occupied, it serves as a signal to the various crazies of Nerima Ward to converge on the location and go wild. Shampoo and Kodachi would show up to 'convince' Ranma of their claims, usually resulting in a fight between whichever one was there and Akane - or, on occasion, a three-way free-for-all fight - or Ryoga might decide it was time for Ranma to once again 'Prepare to die'; if Happosai was staying there for the night, then Taro might drop in to make another attempt to force the old man to change his name...<p>

And Happosai was a problem in and of himself. He was a problem that drew in more problems, Taro wouldn't be a problem for the Tendo household - and their Saotome guests - if it weren't for Happosai being there in the first place. And Happosai himself wouldn't be a problem if it weren't for some of his more annoying habits; stealing underwear, groping females... and waking certain aqua-transexuals up in the middle of the night with buckets of ice-cold water to grope their female form, an action that can result in...

"Freakin' old pervert!" Ranma-chan snarled as she punched the ancient Grand Master of Anything Goes off of her chest and across the room.

"Nice punch, Ranma-kun!" Chibi-ma cheered as he and Chibi-ko appeared out of nowhere with their commentators' desk.

"Nice? Oh, come on!" Chibi-ko countered, "He hit an old man while the guy was distracted, that's the kind of thug act we should expect from Ryoga - not the reigning champ!"

"That's no old man, that's Happosai; how would you feel if he was groping you instead?"

"You should respect a man with that level of appreciation for the female form," Chibi-ko answered, "You've got to wonder why Cologne ever left him - I mean, it's not like we can't tell Shampoo's definitely his great-granddaughter, they've both got that same glomp."

"'Appreciation for the female form'... What the hell are you talking about, Chibi-ko?" Chibi-ma demanded to know.

"It's simple, Chibi-ma... There is a man who understands; It's all about the puppies," Chibi-ko announced, reaching for the hem of her shirt only to be stopped by her partner.

"Don't," Chibi-ma sighed, "We don't have the money to bribe Standards and Practices again."

"Who cares about them? These are beautiful and all-natural - perfectly in scale with Ranma-kun's own in female form," Chibi-ko reminded her partner, "You know what? They should be worshipped! Get down on your knees and genuflect!"

"Not this day," Chibi-ma shook his head, "Not this day or any other."

The door to the Saotome's room slammed open and a half-asleep and all-angry Nabiki stood there, looking for all the world like a vengeful goddess of war, "Now hear _this_: whether it is your little raids, Happosai; fiances and challengers for you, Ranma... or whatever stupid comments you two puppets make... if I do not get my beauty sleep, if I am now allowed to rest, I will go insane and I swear to the Kamis of Wealth and Cunning _that I will take you with me_! Are we _clear _on this?"

Two martial artists and two Chibi-puppets slowly nodded.

"Good," Nabiki smiled putting them all in mind of a cat at an all-you-can-eat seafood buffet, "Well, good night, everyone - sleep tight."

As Nabiki softly shut the door behind her, Chibi-ko had a comment, "And still the reigning champion in the women's division; 'cause there's no technique or trick anyone else has that's half as scary as that smile..."


	9. Anything Goes Survival Matchmaking

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. Whether or not that goal can be reached, we'll see... This is The 365 Project, 11 March.

I moved a little over a year ago and still haven't completely unpacked everything - including my Ranma manga, so I apologise in advance if I have certain details of Shampoo's first appearance wrong. Ranma-chan uses Kuno as protection against Shampoo, resulting in Kuno getting the Amazon 'Wo ai ni, airen' treatment after he beats her. Probably the internet's first Kuno/Shampoo pairing...

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and is being used for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit.

* * *

><p>-o0O0o-<p>

"Anything Goes Survival Matchmaking"  
>By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'<p>

-o0O0o-

* * *

><p>"Sometimes the fastest way out is through the mud." - Dilbert.<p>

* * *

><p>-o0o-<p>

As soon as Ranma finished his story of how Genma had eaten the prize for the Amazons' competition and Ranma as a girl had fought and defeated their champion to win the prize and instead ended up with a death sentence, Akane shook her head.

"Baka! That's what happens when you jump into a fight without knowing what's going on!"

Ranma looked at her in disbelief, "Look who's talkin', Tomboy, you do it all the time!"

"That's different," Akane huffed.

"Oh, yeah, why?"

"Because you're a pervert and you deserve whatever you get," the youngest Tendo snapped back.

"You know what, forget this," Ranma crouched down, "I'll get help from someone who can actually kick."

Before Akane could respond - most likely with force - Ranma had launched himself onto a nearby rooftop and started walking away on the roof, muttering to himself...

"She's such a... what's the word? It means someone who says and does two opposing things and it starts with an 'h'... Hypo-something... hypo... hypo... Hypocondriac, that's it, right?"

Ranma glanced up at the sky and repeated his question, "Right?"

* * *

><p>-o0o-<p>

Ranma could not believe he - could not believe she - was doing this, but she needed someone who would do what she asked to help her with no questions asked and no comments that might make the situation worse, and unfortunately she could only think of one person who would come to his female form's defense like that.

Unlike the family he was sworn to serve, Arashikage Sasuke was neither an idiot nor was he insane. He was also the one to open the front door of the Kuno manor when 'Ranma-chan' knocked.

"You're female, Saotome-san," Sasuke said simply.

Ranma growled at the ninja, "Unfortunately, I don't think the idiot you work for would listen if I showed up as a-"

"Sasuke!" Kuno Tatewaki's voice interrupted loudly, "How dare you dishonor the Pig-tailed Girl by making her wait at the door to the house of Kuno! Allow her entry into the home and presence of the great Blue Thunder!"

Both of the two at the door rolled their eyes at Kuno's love of purple prose, wondering why he couldn't just say 'Don't just stand there, let her in' instead of going through that whole long spiel. It only got worse when Sasuke escorted Ranma into the sitting room where Kuno waited.

"Oh, beautious pig-tailed girl," Kuno intoned, spreading his arms wide as she entered the room, "For too long, the foul sorceror Saotome has stood between our love; my heart bursts with joy to see you free from his clutches to come to the arms of your one true love!"

Ranma shook her head, "I can't, Kuno - I came for... I need help; there's someone after me, a Chinese Amazon that wants to kill me to get to Ranma. You're the only person I could think of turning to for protection."

"Honorless foreigner!" Kuno swore, "To seek the death of an innocent to strike at the foul sorceror, truely 'tis the act of a coward and a weak spirit. Fear not, my pig-tailed goddess, for from this moment until I have vanquished this evil assassin, consider yourself under the protection of the Blue Thunder of Furinken High; Kuno Tatewaki! Sasuke, my sword! To battle, then, to purge this darkness from our land!"

On his way out the door, Kuno took his bokken from Sasuke, leaving the ninja to stare at Ranma in confusion.

"What did you just do?"

"Everyone forgets one thing," Ranma reminded the ninja, "Anything Goes means... anything goes. Even setting two opponents up to fight each other for you."

* * *

><p>-o0o-<p>

Ignoring the pain in her head from being hit with the head of her own bonbori, Shampoo made her way to her feet and looked at the man who had defeated her, standing there with his wooden sword raised to the sky, and before he could react, she had already kissed him.

"Wo ai ni... Airen," Shampoo informed Kuno, who didn't have a clue what she was saying.

When he found out later, he would wish he hadn't. Especially after the day that his twisted sister and this violet-crowned vixen met and quickly became friends...


	10. Replacement

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. Whether or not that goal can be reached, we'll see... This is The 365 Project, 13 March.

Plenty of 'Replacement Ranma' stories out there, stories where for whatever reason the 'Ranma' that Genma brings to the Tendos' isn't the same Ranma he left Nodoka with, but what about a Replacement Akane story? Definitely a dark-Grey, if not full-on Dark Ranma.

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and is being used for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit.

* * *

><p>-o0O0o-<p>

"Replacement"  
>By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'<p>

-o0O0o-

* * *

><p>"Never judge anyone until you've walked a mile in their shoes. That way, you're a mile away and you have their shoes." - Anon.<p>

* * *

><p>-o0o-<p>

"Wah! My baby's home!" Tendo Soun cried as he threw his arms around his youngest daughter, "Never do something like that again! Do you hear me? Never! If I lost you... WAH!"

"Oh, Daddy..." Akane glanced at her appearent fiancee who made a gesture, "Stop crying! It's not like I had a choice!"

Soun backed away and looked at her before bursting into another round of tears, "WAH! My little girl hates me!"

"Uh," Akane stumbled verbally, "Honestly! I'm going to my room."

The youngest Tendo took a step and stumbled physically, "You know what? Ranma! Take me to my room."

"Er..." Ranma scratched the back of his neck nervously.

Akane started to look angry, "You're not gonna make me walk up those stairs by myself in my condition, are you?"

"Er, sure thing, Akane," Ranma said before scooping the girl up in her arms and taking off up the stairs at a quick jog.

Once they had gotten to her room and Ranma had sat her down on her bed, Akane looked at him and sighed, "I don't think I can do this; why not just tell them that my almost dying in China caused me to lose my memory?"

"Yeah, right," Ranma groaned, "Then it's another round of 'Ranma, why didn't you protect your fiance?' and 'Marry her right now to make up for your failure'. I told you, neither of us want to be married anytime soon and that's what'll happen if our fathers think they've got any opening to work with."

Akane flopped backwards so that she was laying on her bed with her legs hanging off, "Can't we at least tell my sisters?"

Ranma thought about it as he took a seat on the floor with his back to the wall, "Kasumi maybe, but not Nabiki. She's the one that got the 'Hentai Horde' started at school by selling pictures of you."

Akane frowned, "The what?"

"Right, forgot that you forgot; Short story, a bunch of boys led by the captain of the kendo team that think because of something he said that if they can beat you in a fight, they'll get to date you."

"That's horrible!" Akane gasped, "Why didn't anyone stop it?"

"Bunch of reasons; Kuno's the principal's son, so the teachers let him get away with whatever he wants... You don't like anyone else fighting your fights for you... and when you started fighting back, a lot of people decided that meant you agreed to Kuno's 'beat her-date her' scheme, so they couldn't do anything about it anyway."

"I did that?" Akane groaned, "What kind of idiot am I?"

"You're not an idiot," Ranma jumped in to defend her, "You're just a violent maniac; attack first, find out what's going on... maybe."

"Ranma..." Akane growled.

"See!" Ranma smirked, "You're getting it now!"

Akane huffed, "I wish I could remember how to get my mallet, I'd use it on you."

Ranma smirked and shook his head, knowing that Akane would never 'remember' how to summon that stupid mallet since she wasn't Akane.

* * *

><p>-o0o-<p>

Before Leaving China...

"My friend," Prince Herb of the Musk Dynasty greeted Ranma as he was shown into the hall, "My enemy... how shall I call you, Saotome?"

Ranma looked at Herb, "The Phoenix called me 'enemy', what do you think?"

Herb smiled and nodded imperiously, "Well, then, my friend, what brings you to the halls of the Musk? And with Tendo Akane unconscious, no less."

"This ain't Akane," Ranma looked at the girl in his arms in anger, "Akane's dead - this is one of the Phoenix that kidnapped Akane and got her killed. She's somehow got an Akane-cursed form like you and me got girl forms."

"Not all of the 'Cursed Springs' carry a curse," Herb said to himself, "Some carry only the magic, yet if something or someone were to be drowned in them... I see."

"If you see, then you can guess why I'm here," Ranma remarked.

"You seek to use the Preservation Ladle for... shall we say, karmic retribution? What the Westerners would call 'an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a life for a life'," Herb answered.

"And what if I am?" Ranma demanded.

Herb looked at him, "Even without their body, the mind of a member of the Phoenix is a dangerous weapon."

"That's why my next stop is the Amazon village for some of that forgetfulness shampoo of theirs," Ranma informed his fellow 'Spring of Drowned Girl'-cursed male, "Figure after beating Saffron and saving them from being destroyed they owe me that much."

"If my memory is certain, you have one of the Amazons claiming you already, are you sure walking into their stronghold is a wise idea?" Herb asked.

Ranma looked at him and narrowed his eyes, "Depends."

"On what does it depend?"

"On whether or not they want their precious 'Amazon history' to reach four thousand years old or if they want you and the Musk to be the only one of the three powers left around here," Ranma answered coldly, "I owe Saffron for teaching me something; after the first time, it becomes a lot easier to be willing to kill. If they try to enforce that Kiss of Marriage of Shampoo's, try to keep me in their village, kill 'Akane' or anything else, they'll become an obstacle and you know what they think about obstacles."

Having lived near the Amazons all his life, Herb was well aware of what they thought, "Obstacles are to be removed."

"I figure if that's the game they want to play, I'm in the mood for it," Ranma's chuckle had a surprising - and somewhat frightening - level of cruelty in it, "One way or another, I'm putting an end to all of this madness. After all, Shampoo can't take me back to her village if her village doesn't exist anymore, so it'll be better for them to end her claim, safer for them..."

Suddenly Herb now know what some meant when they spoke of how it was better to be by the devil's side rather than in his path.


	11. Splashback

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. Whether or not that goal can be reached, we'll see... This is The 365 Project, 18 March.

Soun and Genma get ahold of water from 'Spring of Drowned Loving Couple' and try to splash Ranma and Akane with it, only for yet-another of their 'get the kids married' schemes to backfire on them. ...Can A Plan Backfire If It Involves Water?

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and is being used for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit. Includes a couple small references to other sources.

* * *

><p>-o0O0o-<p>

"Splashback"  
>By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'<p>

-o0O0o-

* * *

><p>"Then their hands touched and their lips met as the raging river pulled them down, now they'll always be together in their happy hunting ground." - 'Running Bear', Sonny James.<p>

* * *

><p>-o0o-<p>

Tendo Nabiki had once been introduced to a saying that explained the difference between being wise, being smart and being a fool. It had said that a wise person learns from the mistakes of others, a smart person learns from their own mistakes, and a fool never learns. She had quickly come to realise that, by that definition, most of the more prominent people in Nerima - including her own father - were fools. Half the girls in the area still thought that trying to bludgeon each other or trying to drug him would get Saotome Ranma interested in them; half the boys still blamed him for everything that went wrong in their lives from a rainy day activating any Jusenkyo curse they might have to Giants outfielder 'Kamikaze' Tanaka knocking himself out instead of catching a ball again... And Tendo Soun - father of Kasumi, Nabiki and Akane - and Saotome Genma - father of Ranma - still thought the stupid plans they came up with would result in their precious 'joining of the school' that seemed to be all that mattered to them.

Of course, Nabiki knew, it wasn't like anyone was completely innocent; Ranma still thought life revolved around 'The Art', Akane still thought she was one of the best martial artists around - despite discovering that she only ever beat Kuno Tatewaki before because the kendoist held back in their fights, Doctor Ono Tofu still couldn't control himself around Kasumi and Nabiki's older sister still had no grasp of the concept of subtlety and took everything at essentially face value. For her own part, Nabiki still loved being smarter than everyone else and having the money to prove it, she wasn't a saint after all.

Nabiki snuggled back against her fiance and smirked to herself as she felt his body react to her's.

'Definitely not a saint,' she thought to herself as her mind drifted back in time...

* * *

><p>-o0o-<p>

Speaking of stupid plans of the fathers, that was how it started. After the debacle that was the Failed Wedding - typically discribed with capital letters as most people know what was being discussed when it was spoken of - and the cask of water from the 'Spring of Drowned Boy', They had been forced to come up with a new plan to 'unite the families' and 'join the schools'. Unfortunately, they easily fell under the 'fools never learn' catagory, especially Genma who hadn't figured out that his 'Saotome Sunrise Surprise Attack' didn't do more than make Ranma that much angrier with the part-time panda, so instead of coming up with a 'new' plan, they merely decided to adapt an old one and expect it to work. Never a reasonable expectation when the plan involves Jusenkyo water, but just the kind of thing that should be expected when one of the two 'masterminds' is the same person who considered a 'Training Ground of Cursed Springs' to be a good place to visit and then knocked someone else into one of the 'Pools of Sorrow' there _after _they themselves had already been cursed to turn into a panda. Their plan was based on a mysteriously acquired cask of water from the 'Spring of Drowned Loving Couple' - very tragic story of young couple drowned there one thousand five hundred year ago in attempt to escape feuding tribes who would never let their love be - and splashing both of their 'wayward children' with it at the same time. The fathers' theory was that by splashing Akane and Ranma at the same time once they were seated at the table - before Kasumi brought the food in, of course, as they had no intention of doing anything that would get in the way of their dinner - the water would turn them into the 'Loving Couple' for which it was named. When they went to put their plan into action, however, another old saying intervened; 'No plan survives first contact with the enemy'.

Normally the arrangement of seating at the dinner table had the two Saotomes on one side and the Tendos at the ends and other side in descending age with Soun at one end, Kasumi and Nabiki on the side and Akane at the other end. In the name of quiet, sanity and maybe even being able to eat a whole meal in peace for once, however, when P-Chan had shown up trotting into the house before hopping into Akane's arms, Nabiki had moved Ranma to sit next to her and put herself between the violent maniac, the blockheaded martial artist and the perverted pig to keep a fight from breaking out. It also put the bobbed brunette in a perfect position to lab Ranma in the leg with her chopsticks every time he started to make a remark that might set P-Chan or Akane off.

The first time, Ranma had yelped, causing Nabiki to give him an innocent look and ask if anything was wrong. The second and third times, he'd looked at her as though he weren't sure if it were her or not, but by the fourth time he started to say something, Nabiki had only had to pick up her chopsticks from where they lay waiting for dinner to be served for Ranma to shake his head and stop talking.

'So, he can be trained after all,' Nabiki had thought to herself, smirking, 'I might just get to enjoy a quiet dinner for the first time in months.'

'Come on, Nabs, why do you gotta keep poking me for tryin' to warn that tomboy about her 'pet'?' Ranma had mentally complained.

'Looks like Nabiki is poking him with her chopsticks,' Akane observed, 'Good, he probably deserves it for whatever perversion he's planning, sitting next to her like that.'

'Ranma, you bastard, how dare you cheat on Akane with her sister!' Ryoga - that is, P-Chan - tried to shout angrily, but it only came out of the piglet's mouth as "Bwee, bwe-bwee, bwee-bwe-bwee-bwee-bwe-bwe-bwee!"

Nabiki reached for her chopsticks and Ranma clenched his teeth, but it was Ryoga that she gave a warning look to as if to say for him not to make another sound and disturb her peace and quiet at dinner or else she might be having a Western style breakfast with plenty of sausage and bacon tomorrow.

It was this situation which Soun and Genma failed to discover by checking the room before launching their plan - and the contents of the cask of water - with a shout of what sometimes seemed to be their own personal battlecry;

"The Schools will be joined!" Soun announced as he flung open the door so that Genma - in panda form - could display a sign that read 'The future of Anything Goes will be secure!'

Ranma didn't get a chance to shout what was on his mind - that being to demand what the aforementioned paternal idiots were up to this time - before he saw what seemed like a tidal wave coming at him in midair. His reaction was instinctive based on experience of what would happen if he came in contact with water and numerous times being the subject of attack with weapons ranging from chains and bicycles to mallets and pandas - he rolled to the side behind the nearest protection; Nabiki. The other target didn't know what was happening either, but a close call with 'Spring of Drowned Duck' water had made Akane suspicious of water that she didn't know the origins of; instinctively, she too sought the only protection she could find - holding P-Chan up before her and hoping that her would manage to block the water from hitting her. These choices would end up having a devastating effect on the fathers' plan...

* * *

><p>-o0o-<p>

Back in the present day, Nabiki's quiet chuckling attracted her fiance's attention.

"Whatcha thinkin' 'bout, Nabs?" Ranma asked softly.

"The little things," she answered, "Like our fathers not bothering to look first before tossing that water; you diving behind me for protection... the fact that the water being cold and making you a girl when it hit or Ryoga being a pig didn't stop us from falling in love with the two of you anyway..."

Now Ranma started to chuckle, "I thought your old man was gonna flip and end up killing mine when it looked like they'd caused his 'little girl' to fall in love with a pig."

"Probably a good thing he didn't," Nabiki remarked, "Pandas are an endangered species."

"Yeah, endangered by swords," Ranma joked, "Mom was so close to killing him if you hadn't said anything... why'dja have to go and do that for, anyway?"

"As much as it might have been warranted," Nabiki pointed out, "Auntie... Mom would still have been sent to jail for killing him; I want our children to at least have one half-way sane grandparent around that we can leave them with to get some alone time when that time comes."

"What about Kasumi?"

"Not until she gets laid," Nabiki answered deadpan, "And Akane's out because I wouldn't want them wandering off and getting lost."

"Hey, it's not that bad," Ranma defended his future sister-in-law, "Now that she's traveling with Ryoga and out of Nerima she's not so stuck on how she was the best in Nerima and all the new styles she's learning in different countries are really helping her grow in The Art."

As said before, Ranma still thought life revolved mostly around The Art.

"Talking about my sister like that," Nabiki snorted with a gleam in her eye that Ranma couldn't see from his position behind her, "I think you owe me something for that."

Ranma moved his hand and placed it on Nabiki's side, "What can I do to make it up to you, Nabs?"

Nabiki reached back and pulled Ranma's hand around to her stomach, "I'm sure I can think of something..."


	12. The Amazon Champion

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. Whether or not that goal can be reached, we'll see... This is The 365 Project, 19 March.

I can never remember the exact Japanese or Chinese for what Shampoo's people are called, but I know it translates out as 'Tribe of Woman Warriors' or something along those lines and is usually simplified as 'Chinese Amazons'. Now, like a lot of people, when I hear 'Amazons', the ones I think of are more Greco-Roman than Chinese and that got me thinking... If you've read my Love Hina short featuring Keitaro becoming Green Lantern, you've probably got an idea where those thoughts led me by this point...

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and is being used for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit. Wonder Woman is the property of DC Comics and is used for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit.

* * *

><p>-o0O0o-<p>

"The Amazon Champion"  
>By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'<p>

-o0O0o-

* * *

><p>In the middle of the village, Xian Pu knelt before the Matriarch, secretly glad for all that had occurred with the Phoenix people and Saffron's attempted ascension to godhood. The Elders had declared her Airen free of all obligations owed the Tribe by Kiss of Marriage or Kiss of Death, seeking to avoid giving him a reason to turn the power that had defeated Saffron in their direction. In doing so, they had also freed Xian Pu to take up her own destiny by freeing her from having to kill girl-Ranma and marry male-Ranma because of the Kisses she had given in Airen in each form.<p>

"The history of our people begins at a distant time in a far away place," the Matriarch spoke ceremonially, "Pursued by enemies and greatly outnumbered, our foremothers looked to the Heavens for help and were answered by the Goddess of War and the Queen of the Gods. In exchange for their loyalty and a promise, they picked up our foremothers and placed them far beyond the reach of any of their enemies, here on the other side of the world. To honor their oath, our people have trained in the ways of War since and fought bravely against new enemies sent us to test our resolve. Now the time has come to fulfill the promise made those thousands of years ago to the Goddess of War and the Queen of the Gods by our foremothers and once more carry their names and our ways out into the world that has forgotten them."

"You, Xian Pu, daughter of Da-xia, daughter of Rong Wing, daughter of Ku Lon, descended of Amytis; despite the curse you bear, you have been chosen to be the champion of our Goddesses and our messenger to the outside world. To aid you in this quest, you will be given certain gifts. You have already recieved the battle garb blessed by our patron Goddesses, now you will recieve the others..."

One of the other Elders stepped forward and placed a gold circlet around Xian Pu's head while the Matriarch spoke.

"As the Goddess of War is also the Goddess of Wisdom, so may this tiara bring you wisdom in times of combat."

While the first Elder stepped back, another stepped forward and placed a pair of silver bracers around Xian Pu's wrists.

"The Queen of the Gods is our protectress," the Matriarch intoned, "Honor her with these indestructible bracers to protect you from harm."

The second Elder switched positions with a third, who strapped a golden girdle around Xian Pu's waist.

"The first Matriarch of our people wore this magic girdle," the Matriach explained, "Gifted to her by the ancient Gods before being stolen by the accursed half-god whose name shall not be spoken, reclaimed by the Goddesses and returned to our people when we were brought to this place. Now you shall wear it to bring you strength as our champion."

A fourth and final Elder came forward and took the third's place, tucking a looped robe of shining gold into the girdle that Xian Pu now wore.

"The Goddess of The Hunt came to our aid later and it is in her honor that any man who wishes our bodies must prove himself to us as the Great Archer proved himself to the Goddess of The Hunt," The Matriarch recalled their people's history and traditions, "One hunts not only with bow and staff, but with cunning to snare one's prey. This Golden Lasso shall be a snare to your enemies; unbreakable and enchanted to bring forth truth from the lies. Now rise, Xian Pu, and take your place as Champion of our people."

At the Matriarch's command, Xian Pu rose, bowed to the Matriarch and each of the four Elders in turn before turning to face her people and bowing to them, causing applause to break out among the villagers and echo in the valley.

"Come with me, Champion," the Matriarch said, drawing Xian Pu's attention back to her and gesturing for the younger woman to follow her to the Matriarch's hut, "There are things of which we must speak."

As soon as they were in the Matriarch's hut and alone, Xian Pu dropped from her native Chinese into the pidgin-Japanese she had grown accustomed to speaking and tugged on the 'battle garb' she wore, "Great-grandmother, Shampoo no have problem being champion, wait for this day long time. But why Shampoo have to wear silly swimsuit to be champion?"

* * *

><p>-o0O0o-<p>

Author's Notes: I chose the names for Xian Pu/Shampoo's foremothers using an internet name site, Da-xia is a Chinese name which means 'Big Hero', Rong Wing is a combination of two Chinese names that together means 'Martial Glory', Amytis is a Greek name meaning 'Amythyst' - something I thought appropriate considering Shampoo's purple hair.


	13. Chibified IV - No Holds Barred

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. This is The 365 Project, 20 March.

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and ...Honestly, I'm not sure who owns Tenchi Muyo anymore, really... each being used for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit.

-o0O0o-

"Wild Horses And Family Trees"  
>'No Holds Barred'<br>By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'

-o0O0o-

The sight had become commonplace in Nerima, Saotome Ranma would be targeted by a fiance or rival and they would appear; one-eighth his size and looking respectively like his natural-male and curse-based-female forms, bringing with them chairs and a table, providing in-depth commentary on whatever fight was happening and known by the names of 'Chibi-ma' and 'Chibi-ko' The only explanation anyone was ever able to get out of Ranma were mutterings about his grandmother being a genius and he was the only sane person in his family. Some people enjoyed the commentaries, some people thought they were just another drop of stupidity and insanity in the bucket, and some people became offended by them, but the closest anyone had come to stopping them had been a threat by Nabiki during a late-night fight between Ranma and Happosai that had gotten too loud between the commentary and the actual fight for her to sleep through it. The idea that Chibi-ko, the female chibi-Ranma puppet, had actually been supporting Happosai in the fight was one that no one wanted to think too hard about. Chibi-ma had suggested afterwards that his 'sister' took a little too much after the females on Nodoka's side of the family; that is Ranma-kun's mother herself, his aunt, and as well the Cutest Scientist in the Universe that had created the chibi-puppets. No one who had met any of them had seen fit to argue the point.

Probably the denizens of Nerima most welcoming to the chibi-puppets were the local food carts; where before people had vacated areas whenever Ranma and any rivals or fiances were present at the same time, with the arrival of the chibi-Ranma puppets, some brave souls actually stuck around to listen to their commentary and the food cart vendors had quickly discovered that these brave souls often desired refreshments when the fights took time. That day's apparent match-up was the kind that did good business for the food carts; the reigning champion of the Nerima Wrecking Crew - Ranma himself - was being challenged by the Chinese master of hidden weapons - Mousse.

Without any kind announcer or referee - no one was _that _brave... or stupid - it was Chibi-ko who decided to start things off, "This is a no-holds-barred match-"

"Wait a second," Chibi-ma interrupted, "Ranma-kun practices Anything Goes Martial Arts... _Every_ match is technically a no-holds-barred match."

"As I was saying, this is a no-holds-barred match, weapons are not only permitted, they're encouraged - I want to see steel chairs to the face and some two-by-fours getting busted over people's heads, folks!"

"Ranma-kun doesn't _use _weapons," Chibi-ma reminded his partner.

"Well, hold on a minute, then," Chibi-ko frowned, "If Ranma-kun doesn't use weapons, does he really practice _Anything _Goes or is it just '_Almost _Anything Goes'?"

Chibi-ma rolled his eyes, "I don't know, -ko. Why don't you ask your friend Happosai since he founded the style?"

"Come on, what have you got against Happosai?"

"He's a pervert and a panty-thief," Chibi-ma accused, "I don't see how someone who's supposed to technically be female can support him."

"Hey, humanity would never have survived if it wasn't for the perverts," Chibi-ko countered, "They all called Kinsey a pervert, but if it weren't for him, we'd all still be stuck in-"

"_Don't_ finish that sentence!" Chibi-ma shouted, "Seriously, I'm starting to think you want us to get in trouble!"

"Ranma-kun's opponent is a guy whose secret weapon is a toddler's toilet training potty," Chibi-ko pointed out, "And he throws it at people. Between that and Nabiki's idea of amatuer photography, I'm a saint! Ranma-kun never sees a sen from those pictures you know. In fact; you know what? Somebody call a lawyer, I say he should license his image and sue for back royalties!"

Ten feet away, Ranma and Mousse hadn't actually begun to fight after Mousse had launched his traditional chain-based opening move and Ranma had dodged. Instead, the Chinese male stared in confusion at the chibi-Ranma puppets and shook his head.

"Are those things always that... vocal?" he finally found the words to ask.

Ranma groaned, "You have no idea; it's like if my life wasn't already crazy enough, it now gets a pair of arguing narrators. My grandmom had to be nuts to build those things... especially with her having her own set of them already..."


	14. Chibified V - Royal Rumble

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. This is The 365 Project, 22 March.

If you like music while you're reading, I recommend Lemon Demon's "Ultimate Showdown of Ultimate Destiny". It just kept playing in my head while I wrote parts of this.

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and ...Honestly, I'm not sure who owns Tenchi Muyo anymore, really... each being used for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit.

* * *

><p>-o0O0o-<p>

"Wild Horses And Family Trees"  
>'Royal Rumble'<br>By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'

-o0O0o-

* * *

><p>"Let's get it on!" - Mills Lane, 'Celebrity Deathmatch'.<p>

* * *

><p>-o0o-<p>

It was a normal, sunny day in Nerima; which is to say that all hell was breaking loose, because without the rain to drive the Jusenkyo-cursed indoors there were no limits to the insanity that could happen. On rainy days, ducks could chase cats, piglets could attack pig-tailed girls, and sometimes even creatures that looked like they belonged in a Minoan labyrinth could show up and start fighting geriatric panty-thieves. Sunny days were much worse. Sunny days, in their own ways, were worse than 'dark and stormy' nights for being a prelude to trouble, because everyone expects bad things to happen on 'dark and stormy' nights, but they unconsciously relax and let their guards down on warm, dry, sunny days, leaving them wide open for things to get...

Interesting.

If such a word could be used to describe the current situation in the streets of Nerima without it being considered a massive understatement. Except for the so-called 'adults' and Pantyhose Taro, it seemed as though anyone that might be considered a 'member in 'good' standing' of the Nerima Wrecking Crew had ended up involved in a brawl-for-it-all in the middle of the neighborhood. No one would ever be sure in the aftermath how it started, but it's almost certain that cries of "Ranma, prepare to die!" were involved. Even fighters that rarely matched up against each other were facing off; Shampoo had attacked Akane with her trademark battlecry of "Obstacles are for killing!" only for Kuno to come to the defense of his 'Fierce Tigeress' against the 'Chinese Assassin', resulting in Mousse launching a counter-offensive against the 'Noble Scion of Kuno' for daring to harm 'his' Shampoo; Konatsu and Sasuke were pitted against each other in an epic battle of ninja skill when the cross-dressing 'kunoichi' defended Ukyo against Kodachi only to be confronted by the Kunos' shinobi retainer; and some fights were to be expected, like Akane and Ryoga both attacking Ranma for their usual reasons, 'seeing hell' and 'Stop picking on poor Ryoga'.

And on the sidelines, miniturised versions of Ranma's two forms - Chibi-puppets created by his grandmother 'The Greatest and Cutest Scientist in The Universe' - sat behind a fold-up table with microphones on it, giving anyone who wanted to listen the play-by-play of the day.

The male Chibi-puppet shook his head, "Kuno, Ryoga, Mousse, Kodachi, Shampoo, Ukyo, Akane, the list goes on; everybody seems to be getting in on this fight..."

"Holy Hannah, you know what this means, Chibi-ma?" The female puppet announced excitedly, "We've got an unscheduled Survivor Series breaking out here, folks!"

"Are you sure about that?"

"It's either a Survivor Series or Royal Rumble here, Chibi-ma; either way, it's gonna be a real slobber-knocker of a fight!"

"Sometimes, I really wonder about you, Chibi-ko..."

"Don't 'wonder' too far, you might get lost," Chibi-ko informed her partner, only for them to seconds later have to throw themselves to the sides as a previously airborne Mousse came crashing down on their table, helped on his way by Kodachi's ribbon, and broke it in two.

"Oh, that's it, I'm putting these kids down," Chibi-ko cracked her knuckles and stood up, "No one disrespects the Queen like this."

Chibi-ma shook his head, muttering to himself, "At least she isn't demanding that we call her 'Princess' - one of those is enough for the entire galaxy."

Kuno was the first to notice Chibi-ko's entry into the actual fight and reached the same conclusion he had ever since the first time the female Chibi-puppet had appeared in Nerima.

"Forsooth, fair pig-tailed maiden!" the delusional kendoist announced, turning his attention from his latest 'challenge' to date Akane, "For I shall defeat the foul sorceror Saotome and in doing so force him to free your soul from this doll in which he has imprisoned you! Thus says the Blue Thunder!"

"Kuno-baby," Chibi-ko borrowed Nabiki's usual term of address for the upperclassman with a smirk on her face as she closed in on him, "I could just _flip _over that."

There's a lot of sayings about size; 'big things come in small packages', 'it's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog', 'the bigger they are, the harder they fall'... Chibi-ko proved there was plenty of truth in them when she threw herself into a backflip, using the motion and momentum to catch Kuno in a certain area with enough force to knock him a few inches into the air before he fell backwards onto the ground, cringing in pain.

"Such betrayal..." Kuno whimpered.

"Stupid little chibi-thing," Akane snarled as she summoned her mallet, "Who said you could interfere in my fight!"

When Akane swung her mallet intending to smash Chibi-ko, it was a mistake. It was a mistake born of foolish assumption; Akane assumed that because Chibi-ko - and Chibi-ma, for that matter - looked like Ranma, she would react the same as Ranma did and simply let the violent maniac hit her. It was a mistake because Ranma had been raised by Genma, but Chibi-ko had been based on Ranma with additions to her personality from Nodoka, Ryoko and of course Washu-chan that meant she did not always handle things the same way her Ranma-kun would. In this case, she had no intention of letting Akane just hit her and certainly none of letting the attack go unanswered.

Instead, Chibi-ko rolled to the side away from the mallet and then launched herself towards Akane before the mallet's wielder could recover from her swing. With her arm out to the side, Chibi-ko caught Akane by surprise with a lariat, but instead of knocking her opponent backwards, Chibi-ko ended up swinging around Akane's neck back to her front side and twisting so that she could lock her legs on either side of Akane's head and neck before using Akane's over-reached position and her's own momentum to send the youngest Tendo flying face-first into the ground five feet away.

"And Chibi-ko introduces Akane's face to the ground with a devastating 'HurricanRanma'," Chibi-ma announced after pulling his microphone from the ruined pile of table and martial artist., causing Mousse to frown at the chibi puppet.

"Shouldn't that be Hurricanrana'?" The male Chinese Amazon asked from his prone position, having decided it safer just to 'play dead'.

"Have you forgotten we're chibi-Ranmas?" Chibi-ma pointed out sarcastically.

"Where does he keep you, anyway?" Mousse wondered as Chibi-ko stood up and cracked her neck, making a comment to Akane that neither he nor Chibi-ma could make out from their location.

"That's none of your business, alright," Chibi-ma snapped, just before seeing one of the fighters coming up on his 'sister' from behind, "Excuse me..."

Sasuke had managed to best Konatsu and now had his ninja-to raised to strike at Chibi-ko when he found out that 'pick on someone your own size' works just as well on short people after Chibi-ma tapped him on the shoulder, waited for him to turn, then gave him a knee to face special. As the ninja dropped groaning to the grounds, Chibi-ko turned around and looked at her 'brother'.

"I'd have had him if you'd've given me one more minute," she snorted.

"Yeah, and there's also a saying about frogs having wings," Chibi-ma pointed out.

"Oh-hohoho!" The 'Black Rose' announced her presence as she lept over other combatants to land before the two Chibi-puppets, "You'd dare to defile the face of my beloved by siding with this miniature harridan to assault my retainer?"

Chibi-ko looked at Chibi-ma and flatly asked a question, "'Blue Thunder', 'Black Rose', so does this mean when I kick her ass I'll have beaten the Kunos black and blue?"

Chibi-ma groaned, "That was bad, 'Ko, that was bad."

"Hoho!" Kodachi laughed, "Unlike my foolish brother, you'll find I'm not so easily defeated!"

Chibi-ma looked at Chibi-ko and cocked his head to the side, "Double-whammy?"

Chibi-ko gave a sharp nod, "You're on!"

Chibi-ko ran towards Chibi-ma, who knit his fingers together to form a cradle that Chibi-ko stepped in as he turned and tossed her into the air, up and over Kodachi, only to put out her feet and 'land' on and kick back off from an airborne Ryoga - coincidently, throwing him off from launching his 'rain of bandannas' attack that had once cost Akane her long hair - to come flying back towards Kodachi. While Chibi-ko was in the air, Chibi-ma was on the ground, running towards Kodachi until he did a half-flip followed by a handspring into a torpedo kick that took the Martial Arts Rhythmic Gymnast in the stomach at the same time as his 'sister' caught her from behind with Chibi-ko's second lariat of the fight, causing Kodachi's weight to shift sending her face first into the ground with Chibi-ko on top of her as Chibi-ma tucked and rolled out from underneath.

"Why, you little..." Kodachi spat out dirt as the Chibis made their ways to opposite sides of her head and as soon as she had lifted her body up off the ground, they caught the female Kuno's head in between two kicks from opposing sides - essentially 'boxing her ears' with their feet - which was one blow too much and caused her to collapse back to the ground unconscious.

"Ranma-kun's a good man, he's got a good heart," Chibi-ma said to the unconscious Kuno girl, "He doesn't hit girls..."

Chibi-ko tugged on her own mini-version of Ranma-kun's Chinese-style shirt, "That's what he's got me for now."

Ranma-kun himself would have tried to stop what happened next, but by the time he had finished putting Ryoga down for the count and turned his attention to the other standing combatants, it was already too late, pride had carried too far and Ukyo and Shampoo had called a truce with each other and were instead standing side-by-side glaring at Ranma's chibi-puppets.

"You're not getting us like that, and I'm going to enjoy taking you puppets apart," Ukyo pronounced, "I don't know what his grandmother's problem is, but I'm the only girl Ranma-honey needs in his life, got it?"

"Shampoo think Spatula-Girl think crazy things," Shampoo did something that would have made Happosai very happy - if he wasn't her Great-Grandfather - to make sure everyone's attention was focused where she wanted it, on her figure, "This all woman Airen needs, not too-too-flat chested crossdresser."

"Give them five minutes and they'll be back fighting each other," Chibi-ma joked.

"Give me two minutes," Chibi-ko growled, "And they'll be too unconscious to fight anyone."

"Just try it," Ukyo snarled, tightening her grip on her battle spatula before lunging forward towards the Chibi-puppets.

"No! Ucchan, don't!" Ranma shouted, but it was too late...

* * *

><p>-o0o-<p>

Two and a half minutes later, standing over a defeated duo of Ukyo and Shampoo, Chibi-ma raised Chibi-ko's hand into the air, "The winners - and still Tag Team Champions of the Nerima Wrecking Crew..."

"Chibified!" Chibi-ko announced loudly.

Ranma stared at them, not sure what to think, then finally he muttered, "Granny... what have you created?"

* * *

><p>-o0O0o-<p>

Author's Note: Unless something changes, I think this may be my last 'Chibi-Ranma puppets' story for a bit, not as many ideas for them are sparking. Though it has helped me notice that I seem to do better writing fight scenes with a wrestling influence to them... Something to keep in mind, I suppose.


	15. SMH II - Returning

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. This is The 365 Project, 23 March.

Yeah, it's short.

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and "The Shadow" of Smith & Street Publications, as written by 'Maxwell Grant', each being used for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit.

-o0O0o-

"Shadows of Men and of Horses"  
>'Returning'<br>By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'

-o0O0o-

Saotome Ranma took a deep breath of the air, smelling the sharp tang of human industry that he'd been away from for the last five years. Five years of learning all that the Tulku had to teach him, all the things he had taken for granted growing up in a life focused only on The Art, learning how to live, how to let live, how to laugh, how to cry, how to dream, how to forget and a thousand other things of which many couldn't be put into words. He could of spent his entire 'second' lifetime learning from the Tulku and the monks of The Temple of The Cobras and it still wouldn't have been enough for the man who had recently seen his twenty-first birthday come and go. Just as it had been time, the Tulku had said, for Ranma to go; time for the training Genma had given his body and that which the Tulku had given his mind to be put to use for something greater than merely becoming 'a man among men'.

Smiling, the Japanese man slung his bag over his shoulder and walked out into Tokyo. Since he had no intention of returning to Nerima and the whims of others, his first goal would be to find a place to stay...


	16. Nerima Justice

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental _multi-fandom_ project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. For more details, see the relevent section in my profile. This is The 365 Project, 25 March.

It seems I have to post a reminder, once again, that The 365 Project is _not _limited to a single fandom and so any 'missing' days in one fandom probably means I was writing in another fandom on those days. While I've come close a couple times, I haven't missed a day yet and I plan on doing my best to keep that record.

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and is being used for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit. The basic story idea is borrowed from an episode of "Red Dwarf", specifically Series 4's 'Justice'.

* * *

><p>-o0O0o-<p>

"Nerima Justice"  
>By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'<p>

-o0O0o-

* * *

><p>"Laws change, depending on who's making them. But Justice is Justice." - Odo, 'Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'.<p>

* * *

><p>-o0o-<p>

It started the way many things in the Nerima Ward of Tokyo did; with someone blaming their problems on one Saotome Ranma. It hadn't been Hibiki Ryoga's intention to end up in the attic of the Tendo house, he'd actually been trying to find his way to Okinawa for a Watermelon Festival when his family's directional curse had kicked in again. That curse, ironically enough, was the one thing in Ryoga's life that he _didn't_ blame on Ranma, instead blaming his parents who had passed it down to him. With the sounds of thunder crashing and rain beating against the roof, Ryoga didn't fancy trying to leave and possibly ending up in a downpour, so he instead pushed a short stack of boxes to one side and an old steamer trunk to the other to clear a space on the floor for him to put his bedroll for the night. He never intended to find the loose scroll in the attic detailing the ritual 'to create a barrier in which no injustice could be done', as it claimed, but when he did, the chance to finally have his revenge for all the injustices heaped upon him and his dear Akane by the pig-tailed boy was too great to allow to pass; especially since with the storm, the contents of his massive travelling pack and the fact that he knew where Ranma was, he had everything needed for the ritual.

Ryoga chuckled madly, "Ranma, because of you, I've seen Hell! Now prepare to see Hell yourself for all you have done!"

It was ironic or fortunate that at that moment, a flash of lightning illuminated the night sky and the following crack of thunder drowned out the laughter of 'Eternally Lost Boy'. A boy who made one simple mistake; because the ritual ended at the bottom of the scroll, Ryoga never flipped it over and so missed the warning written on the back that _any _injustice, no matter to whom it would be directed, would instead be returned to the person attempting to cause it.

* * *

><p>-o0o-<p>

When morning came, it came with sun as though the storm of the previous night hadn't happened, and with it bringing a return to the normal character of things in Nerima, perhaps better phrased a return to 'the normal character of things _for_ Nerima' as they would likely be considered decidedly abnormal elsewhere. After all, it's not like any other short-tempered violent girls routinely send the boys they're supposed to like into the stratosphere for percieved and unverified offenses, right? Either way, this is Nerima, it's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new chance for success by Saotome Genma with the 'Saotome Sunrise Surprise Attack'.

Although, if it's performed at the same time every day, how one can call it a 'Surprise Attack' is questionable.

Ranma felt the impact of the water on him and it woke him up. Jumping to his feet, he looked down at himself and noticed that he was both male and dry, not a common occurence after having a bucket of water dumped on him. Then he turned his attention to the culprit and laughed.

"Whatsa matter, Pops?" Ranma asked, "Get yourself while you were at it?"

The irate and soaking panda quickly retorted by pulling out a sign blazoned with one of his personal favorite complaints, 'What have I done to deserve such a disgraceful son?'

We'll pause a moment for readers to appreciate the irony of said part-time panda calling someone else a disgrace. Now, on with the story.

Ranma's fists were clenched and his eyebrow twitching as he read the sign, slowly walking towards his zoologically-altered father, "What have you done? Why don't you think about it!"

As he finished the second sentence, Ranma had quickly darted around Genma intending to perform cruelty to an endangered species by kicking the panda out the window. Only Ranma instead suddenly found himself outside and flying through the air towards the koi pond where she landed with a splash.

'What just happened?' the next sign Genma pulled out asked, then he shrugged as much as a panda could and dropped to all fours to start lumbering his way down to breakfast. It was too early with too little food to think about anything just yet.

* * *

><p>-o0o-<p>

After breakfast and a bit of warm water to return him to his Y-chromosome-possessing form, Ranma found himself walking to school alongside his enforced fiance - if not his chosen fiance, since everyone convienently forgot that he had never chosen; everyone else had pushed Akane at him, then Akane had given him to Nabiki, then Nabiki had dumped him back on Akane, passing him around like a ball in a gym class game of soccer - in regards to the Saotome/Tendo agreement to 'unite the schools'.

"I don't know how you can think you're so great at martial arts when you end up knocking yourself out of the window," Akane snorted at Ranma in a superior tone.

"Says the girl who didn't even know Kuno was holding back on her until he went all-out against me," Ranma retorted, referring to upperclassman and Kendo Club captain Kuno Tatewaki, the self-proclaimed 'Blue Thunder of Furinken High'.

"Kuno was just holding back so he could use it as an excuse when I beat him," Akane countered sharply, "I still would win if he'd fight me without doing that."

"Just keep telling yourself that," Ranma stretched his arms into the air and said bluntly, "Maybe if you'd actually bother to learn something new instead of 'practicing what you already know', you might actually get better even that it'd even be true. Until then, you're just really not that good compared to anyone else around. You get better by learning more, you get stagnant by repeating the same stuff, I know that much, anyway."

"Grrr... Ranma..." Akane growled and summoned her mallet, intending to send the pig-tailed boy flying into the next ward in reply to that observation.

* * *

><p>-o0o-<p>

Akane didn't end up in the next ward, at least not from her attempted malleting of Ranma, instead she came to a crash landing against the walls surrounding Furinken High School just in time for Kuno's morning greeting-slash-challenge, something for which she was in no mood. It was, however, her response to said greeting of trying to kick Kuno over the school and going flying again herself that would cause her to be late for class.

Kuno, on his part, stood there staring at Akane as she went flying through the air into the distance. He was trying to process what had just happened when Ranma arrived and the kendoist's brain fell back into its usual chain of thought; his Fierce Tigeress had came running towards his manly embrace when suddenly she was pulled away by unseen forces, then the Foul Sorceror Saotome appeared to taunt him, therefore it was obviously yet another attempt by the Foul Sorceror to keep his love from him.

"Vile Cur!" Kuno shouted as he charged Ranma, "To free the beautious Tendo Akane from your evil, I strike!"

When her name was spoken, Ranma looked around to see if Akane herself was there and so he was caught when Kuno brought his bokken down on Ranma's head only to knock himself out instead of the younger man.

Scratching his cheek as he looked at the unconscious upperclassman, Ranma frowned, "Weird."

* * *

><p>-o0o-<p>

Proving once again that Kuno and Akane were allowed to get away with anything and he was blamed for everything, when the youngest Tendo daughter didn't arrive for class, it was Ranma who found himself sent out into the hall to hold buckets of water with the teacher claiming it was his responsibility 'as her fiancee' to ensure Akane arrived on time. While normally such an injustice would cause the 'barrier' that Ryoga had erected the night before to take effect, Ranma didn't really care about class anyways because of how he was brought up and so the injustice of it didn't affect him and thus didn't trigger the 'barrier'.

Ranma wasn't, contrary to popular belief, stupid; he merely lacked in book-smarts. He knew that once he had reached a certain point in a jump he started to come back down to the ground even if he didn't know that it was the Law of Gravity at work causing it. So, it wasn't actually that hard for him to start putting two and two together, come up with twelve and then divide by three to get the correct answer.

'Pops splashes me with water and turns into the panda while I stay a boy... I go to kick the panda into the pond and end up in it myself... Akane mallets me and I don't feel a thing, but she goes flying... She kicks Kuno and goes flying again... Kuno hits me and knocks him own self out... It's Opposite Day, I guess; whatever anyone tries to do, the opposite happens,' Ranma decided.

As was previously stated, he added two plus two, got twelve and then divided by three to reach four. At least he reached four as an answer instead of an essay about how the numbers must feel being added and divided without regard for their own opinions.

* * *

><p>-o0o-<p>

It was after lunch when Ranma was back in the classroom, being ignored by a huffy Akane and drooled over by another fiance that didn't understand the concept of friendship, when another party burst open the classroom door, laughing like an escapee from the looney bin.

The author would like to take this moment to apologise to any looney bin escapees offended by the comparison to Kuno Kodachi, sister of Kuno Tatewaki and the self-proclaimed 'Black Rose of St. Hebekre's Girls School'.

"Oh-hohoho," Kodachi laughed, causing at least one thoughtful student to wonder if Santa Clause would sue her for copyright infringement over the 'hohoho' part of the Black Rose's laugh, as she withdrew a bouquet of black roses with a flourish, "My beloved Ranma-sama, I come with a token of my affections."

When Kodachi threw the roses at him, Ranma tilted his head to the side and the bouquet went flying past to land on the desk of the same student who had been thinking about Kodachi's laugh. Fortunately for them, it didn't seem to explode; but, something else must have as Kodachi herself was suddenly engulfed in a cloud of green gas that caused her to collapse to the floor unconscious.

The teacher sighed, "Someone please go to the office and have them inform Saint Hebekre's that we have their missing student... again."

* * *

><p>-o0o-<p>

After school, Ranma had taken a cup of cold water and gone into the dojo to practice in her female form, deciding that with the amount of time she ended up in it, it would be best to be used to moving in it at least - even if she didn't like the form - so that she could fight better in it. She didn't notice the person spying on her practice with the Polaroid Instamatic Camera in their hands.

'Oh, yeah,' Nabiki thought to herself as she took the first picture, 'This one will get me plenty of money from Kuno.'

As soon as the camera spat out the picture, Nabiki caught it and held it up, waiting for it to develop, and develop it did into a picture of herself in her shorts and bra.

'What the?' Nabiki mentally swore, pressing the button again to take another picture of Ranma-chan.

This time, the resulting picture was of Nabiki posing in nothing but her underwear. She tried again and again with similar results, each time dropping the resulting pictured on the ground in anger until finally it was too much and she got up and stormed away towards her room, intending to take the camera to a shop the next day and have it fixed before whatever was wrong with it put a dent in her profits. It was later when she had finished her practicing and was on her way out of the dojo that Ranma-chan happened to look down and notice the discarded pictures, picking them up for a closer look.

"So she's starting to do herself," Ranma-chan muttered, "I guess that's more fair than selling ones of me and Akane..."

Shrugging, Ranma-chan decided to stick Nabiki's pictures under the middle sister's door for her, then get some hot water before dinner.

* * *

><p>-o0o-<p>

"I don't know why," Ranma muttered to himself as he was laying down for bed, "But after today, I just feel like there's justice in the world..."

Half a world away, a lone figure walked south along a road, surrounded by snow and ice and the sound of passing eighteen-wheelers echoing in his ears.

"Where am I now?" Ryoga muttered, wishing he could hear Ranma's sounds of eternal suffering, "Damn you, Ranma! There's just no justice in the world!"

* * *

><p>-o0O0o-<p>

Author's Note; I regret to inform those anonymous reviewers who _do_ leave a name and _do _give constructive, creative and/or helpful reviews that I will likely be disabling anonymous reviews in the near future. This is no reflection on any of you, but rather due to a recent increase in derogatory and rude reviews left simply by 'guest' that I have no desire to put up with and am in no way required to do so.


	17. Ignition Sequence

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental _multi-fandom_ project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. For more details, see the relevent section in my profile. This is The 365 Project, 30 March.

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and is being used for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit.

* * *

><p>-o0O0o-<p>

"Ignition Sequence"  
>By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'<p>

-o0O0o-

* * *

><p>There comes a time in every person's life when they find themselves forced to admit one simple fact; that they've really stepped in it this time, that they've done something or said something that they really should not have said or done. For Tendo Nabiki, that time came in midair, falling from a balcony after her younger sister had lost her temper - again - and this time had taken it out on the supports that held the balcony up.<p>

It really hadn't been planned for Nabiki and her sister's unofficially-official fiance - the status of that relationship being a tale to tell in and of itself - to tease Akane at the same time, but once they had started playing off each other, they just hadn't been able to stop. Ranma probably hadn't even thought they were doing anything wrong; hell, he still considered Ryoga one of his best friends and the wandering martial artist's traditional greeting was to shout 'Ranma! Prepare to die!' at the top of his lungs and start throwing bandannas around. For Nabiki, she had been having fun. Not fun teasing her sister, but fun going back and forth with Ranma _to _tease her sister. Because of what she had to do and who she had to be as the 'Ice Queen of Furinken High', Nabiki didn't have many friends and even with those she did have, there was always a certain level of business involved and the detachment that went with it. It had been nice to be able to just let go and enjoy being around someone who had no ulterior motives for anything; she was even sure that Ranma couldn't even spell ulterior motives, much less possess them.

Akane normally didn't, couldn't hold a grudge, she was just too short-tempered most of the time. It had taken Nabiki by surprise when Akane had still been angry over the teasing after dinner and refused to accept that it wasn't planned, no matter how much she had insisted it was. Akane had refused to listen and lost her temper, taking it out on the balcony support. All of this went through Nabiki's head as she began to fall along with the balcony. Then everything was a blur, ghosts of shapes and buzzing sounds instead of voices as something caught her and carried her to the ground. It took the middle Tendo sister a moment to realise that it wasn't something, but someone who had caught her and that they, in fact, still had her.

'Okay, Saotome, any time you want to put me down will be... fine,' Nabiki thought to herself, trying to ignore the warmth of his hand on her leg and the way it was spreading throughout her body, threatening to start a fire that might just consume the Ice Queen.

"You okay, Nabiki?" Ranma asked, looking her over to make sure and trying not to look like her was checking her out or anything perverted.

"Yeah," Nabiki shook her head, "I'm... fine..."

'You can be engaged to him for all I care!'

As Akane's words played over in her sister's head, Nabiki mentally winced, it was going to take a lot of cunning and planning to get a certain level of business-like detachment involved if Akane really meant to push the Saotome/Tendo engagement off onto her. Especially if Ranma kept causing that reaction every time he touched her...

And he still hadn't put her down, for that matter.


	18. Three Months

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental _multi-fandom_ project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. For more details, see the relevent section in my profile. This is The 365 Project, 31 March.

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and is being used for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit.

* * *

><p>-o0O0o-<p>

"Three Months"  
>By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'<p>

-o0O0o-

* * *

><p>He still couldn't believe the calendar; the end of March, had it really been that long? Some times the days seemed so short... some times, they drew out like each day was a year. Three months since they had gotten together and agreed that if they were going to be distrusted, suspected, disliked and misrepresented by everyone in town, they might as well do it all together and pool their resources instead of dealing with it seperately. So, they had just decided that the first step would be to let people think what they would think, knowing that they would think it was a personal relationship. Three months, a season for the weather, one quarter of the year, it was all hard to believe. There were people that had bet it wouldn't last a day, much less ninety days. They said they were too different, both of them too stubborn for it to work.<p>

But, in its own strange way, it did work. It wasn't romantic because they weren't romantic. He'd never write her some long poem and she'd never surprise him with a fancy home-cooked dinner, but that wasn't them anyway, so it didn't matter. He was a whole lot more likely to just 'visit' some guy who hasn't paid up on a debt or something and collect for her, just like he knew she would bribe some Mixed Martial Arts fighter or something into giving him lessons long before she would ever set foot in a kitchen for anything more than fixing a sandwich and a drink. It wasn't romantic, it was just mutual benefit. Maybe in the future that would change, but he'd stopped worrying about the future three months ago. He'd found it helped him keep from going far as business deals went, pretending to be dating in exchange for someone having his back was sure a lot better than being traded for two pickles and a bowl of rice if anyone thought to ask him...

Which until three months ago, no one ever thought to do.


	19. Nabiki's Secret - Secret Love

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental _multi-fandom_ project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. For more details, see the relevent section in my profile. This is The 365 Project, 17 April.

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and is being used for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit.

* * *

><p>-o0O0o-<p>

"Secret Love"  
>By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'<p>

-o0O0o-

* * *

><p>Nabiki held the package closer to her chest as she looked around cautiously. It had been so hard to get away from the usual cast of characters in Nerima long enough to prepare for what was about to happen. She had almost thought she'd failed when she'd seen Ryoga go by in his pig form, but he'd turned a corner and vanished leaving her safe. She'd had to disguise herself, take two different trains and dodge a pair of maniac speed demon policewomen to make it to the restaurant on time, but she had done it. She was there, there was no one around that could possibly recognise her and ruin the evening, and the hostess was leading her to a table in the back where it was nice and private, where it would be just the two of them... Perfect.<p>

Setting her package on the table and taking her seat, Nabiki smiled carefully as she ordered her drink and a water to go with it. As soon as the hostess had walked away and she was sure nobody was paying her any attention, Nabiki gently removed her laptop from its neoprene bag, opening it and turning it on. When she got to the desktop, she made sure it had connected to the restaurant's free wi-fi network and opened her web browser to her ultimate goal in all of that day's activities.

"Maxims nineteen, thirty and thirty-eight," Nabiki sighed happily as the website finished loading, "Oh, how you inspire me... Let's see what my favorite mercenaries are up to today..."

* * *

><p>-o0O0o-<p>

Author's Note: Yes, Nabiki's secret love is webcomics. Kudos to anyone who can guess which one she's reading...


	20. Nabiki's Secret II -The Wizard of Where?

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental _multi-fandom_ project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. For more details, see the relevent section in my profile. This is The 365 Project, 18 April.

Continuing on, somewhat, from yesterday...

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and is being used for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit. "Schlock Mercenary" is the creation and property of Howard Tayler and is even more so used for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit. I never argue with a guy who created a mercenary company that has a standing bounty on eliminating lawyers.

* * *

><p>-o0O0o-<p>

"The Wizard of Where?"  
>By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'<p>

-o0O0o-

* * *

><p>"She's coming around!"<p>

As Nabiki's eyes fluttered open, she narrowed them at the figure leaning over her, then reached out and poked them with a finger.

"Hey!" Ranma exclaimed, "What's that for, Nabs?"

"You're not an amorph," Nabiki answered as if it explained everything.

"Oh, my," Kasumi gasped from nearby, "Nabiki, are you alright? You had a concussion, after all."

Doctor Ono Tofu was kneeling on the other side of Nabiki from Ranma and he took a small flashlight and shined it in her eyes, "Pupil reaction is good... She should recover fine."

"What a weird dream I had..."

"Yeah, I was amoral," Ranma remarked, causing Nabiki to snicker.

"That too, Ranma-kun," the bobbed brunette commented, "But you were an amorph mainly; violent and always hungry - hey, that's not much different than you are here, come to think of it!"

"Hey!" Ranma exclaimed.

"And you were there," Nabiki looked at the doctor and her sister, "But you were married, then not really married because it was all part of a government cover-up, but you were getting married for real..."

Sychronised like a pair of Rockettes, Kasumi and Tofu looked at each other, blushed, looked away and gave a quick glance back before he found the floor and she the ceiling extremely interesting.

"Okay, I was unconscious, I had a crazy dream... would one of you just tell me what happened?" Nabiki asked with a groan.

"Ryoga blew up a wall with that Breaking Point of his and didn't know you were on the other side," Ranma explained.

"Huh," Nabiki moaned, mentally starting a list of people who would pay her for the chance to fry Ryoga's bacon butt.

"Ranma, you jerk! Stop blaming everything on poor Ryoga!" Akane snapped, preparing to draw her mallet when Tofu hit her with a quick series of pressure points that meant she wouldn't be able to move her arms for a few hours.

"A living bomb that ends up in the kitchen," Nabiki slowly turned her head to look at her younger sister, then turned it the other way to address thin air, "Creepy."


	21. SMH III - The Work

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental _multi-fandom_ project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. For more details, see the relevent section in my profile. This is The 365 Project, 25 April.

In the immortal words of Samuel L. Clemens... "Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot. BY ORDER OF THE AUTHOR."

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and "The Shadow" of Smith & Street Publications, as written by 'Maxwell Grant', each being used for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit.

* * *

><p>-o0O0o-<p>

"Shadows of Men and of Horses"  
>"The Work"<br>By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'

-o0O0o-

* * *

><p>I am many things. I am Saotome Ranma and I am Saotome Ranko, sometimes Tendo Ranko. I am the only child of Saotome Genma and Nodoka, and was the only student of Genma in the Saotome family martial arts. I am no longer a practicioner of 'Anything Goes' martial arts. I am not who I once was, I died when I killed. I am alive because something was seen in me, something that the one who saw it felt made me worthy of a second chance at live, a life with purpose and honor - true purpose and true honor, not the ramblings and bullying tactics of others.<p>

A storm is coming. I could sleep. Rain makes for good sleeping weather; not thunder and lightning, though, those aren't as comforting. Rain is comforting. If it rains, I could sleep. But I have work to do. I'm starting to tire of it, but the work has to be done. That was one of the lessons I was taught by my _true _Master; 'when work must be done, someone must do it; if you are the only one able, that someone is you.' The work must be done and I am the only one able. I didn't ask to be, I didn't chose to be, but I am.

I am not who I once was, and I am not who I appear to be. I am someone who knows what lurks in the hearts of men, because I've been forced to look into my own heart. What I saw there frightened me, but I was taught to turn that fear into a weapon, one of many. There is a storm coming, it will bring rain, maybe even thunder and lightning, but definitely clouds...

Clouds cast shadows.


	22. SMH IV - A Mire In Nerima

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental _multi-fandom_ project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. For more details, see the relevent section in my profile. This is The 365 Project, 27 April.

In the immortal words of Samuel L. Clemens... "Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot. BY ORDER OF THE AUTHOR."

To quote a song by Ray Stevens... "Meanwhile, back at the motel..."

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and "The Shadow" of Smith & Street Publications, as written by 'Maxwell Grant', each being used for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit.

* * *

><p>-o0O0o-<p>

"Shadows of Men and of Horses"  
>'A Mire in Nerima'<br>By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'

-o0O0o-

* * *

><p>There's a certain relief that comes with the departure of guests. The sense that you can go back to being yourself again, the good and the bad. You no longer have to act polite for the sake of being respectful to your guests. Not that she had ever done that to begin with, it just wasn't her style, then or now. Things had changed in the last five years, but Tendo Nabiki wasn't one of them. Being dead, even for only a few minutes, had changed her younger sister; Akane had gone back to the beginning and started learning martial arts as though she had never practiced them before. Sometimes, it takes a god - or in this case, a demi-god - to make a person see just how limited their skills really are. The eldest Tendo sister, in turn, had been forced by Akane's temporary death to come to terms with the concept that life is too short to put some things on hold, even to take care of family. Ono Kasumi and her husband had celebrated their third wedding anniversary only days before Saotome Ranma's plane had landed in Tokyo. On that family's side of the equation, the Saotome family home finally reached the completion of its repairs and the remaining two members returned there amidst many comments about 'unmanly abandonment of his responsibilities' by an 'ungrateful son', these comments were often accompanied by tears and wailing about dishonor and disgrace from the patriarch of the Tendos. For all things that do, some things do not change.<p>

This might actually mean something later on.

* * *

><p>-o0O0o-<p>

Author's Note: Segment title was a deliberate bit of word play. Remove the 'i' from 'in' and reverse "A Mire in Nerima", you get "amireN neriM A". If the author stops being a jerk with the capital letters, you might even notice that without that 'i', it's a pallendrome. If that's how that word is spelt...


	23. SMH V - Into The Night

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental _multi-fandom_ project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. For more details, see the relevent section in my profile. This is The 365 Project, 7 May.

In the immortal words of Samuel L. Clemens... "Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot. BY ORDER OF THE AUTHOR."

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and "The Shadow" of Smith & Street Publications, as written by 'Maxwell Grant', each being used for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit.

WARNING: this is a bit darker than previous entries in the "Shadows of Men and of Horses" set, keep that in mind before choosing to read any further or not.

* * *

><p>-o0O0o-<p>

"Shadows of Men and of Horses"  
>"Into The Night"<br>By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'

-o0O0o-

* * *

><p>"Won't do me no good washing in the river, can't no preacher-man save my soul..." - 'Barton Hollow', The Civil Wars.<p>

-o0O0o-

* * *

><p>It was a dark night in Tokyo city, the kind of night that with a little chill and a little rain started many detective stories. This night, however, wasn't cold and wet, but warm and dry, with not a cloud in the sky to obscure the light of the full moon from mixing with the light of the streetlamps to cast shadows throughout the city. It made the city seem peaceful and safe, the night empty and still. It was an illusion. The city was neither peaceful nor safe, and the night was not empty. There were things in the streets just out of sight and not all of them were good...<p>

Sato Ishiko knew nothing of this, she only knew that she was late getting home from visiting her childhood friend from before the Satos had moved to a new ward in Tokyo and had found herself attempting a shortcut through a series of streets that she hadn't traveled after dark before. Ishiko gasped as a young man stepped out of nowhere almost directly in front of her, causing her to stop suddenly so as not to run into him.

"I'm sorry!" she exclaimed quickly, "I didn't see you."

"What have we here?" the man looked at Ishiko, "What do you think, boys?"

Murmurs and comments from behind her caused Ishiko to spin around in alarm to see that another half-dozen men now stood in the direction she had came from.

"I think she'll pay her toll nice for travelling on our turf," the man that was now behind Ishiko said, grabbing her by the upper arms, causing her to begin to struggle to get free.

"Let me go!" Ishiko exclaimed, near tears, "Don't do this!"

"Trust me, doll," he whispered in her ear, "That's not what you'll be saying soon enough."

Panicked, Ishiko stomped her foot down on his, forcing him to release her as he screamed in pain and dropped to the ground clutching his foot. Shoving him to one side, Ishiko tried to take off running down the street, but he managed to grab her ankle as her she went by, making her fall to the ground as he stood up.

"Before, I was going to go easy on you," he snarled, "Now you're really going to pay."

"I would advise against it," a voice suddenly cut through the night.

"What was that?" one of the gang members asked one of the others.

"I don't know, man," the second ganger answered.

"The mill of the Gods grinds slowly," the same voice sounded again, but closer this time, "but it grinds exceedingly small."

The gang leader, the one who had grabbed Ishiko growled, "Who said that?"

"Respect for all things is important, Reiki Shin, you respect nothing..."

Shin snarled and looked around, "Show your face and I'll teach you about respect, punk!"

A chilling laugh echoed off the buildings, "_I_ will do the teaching, Reiki Shin."

Suddenly every streetlamp for twenty meters in either direction went out, cloaking the street in darkness as a fog began to roll in despite the fact that they were nowhere near Tokyo Bay. Then the night was filled with sounds of combat, screams of pain and surprise, and worst of all, that chilling laughter sounding again and again to taunt the gangers. Then the fog cleared leaving Ishiko to see the majority of the gang laying on the ground, battered and unconscious.

A long shadow stretched down the street, leading up to a dark figure silhouetted by the streetlamps that were still on. The figure looked at the one gang member that remained standing and spoke in a low, harsh voice, "I suggest you run."

The gang member turned to run, tripped over one of his brethern and fell to the ground, glancing back over his shoulder as he scrambled to his feet and kept running away into the night. Ignoring the fleeing ganger, the figure walked towards where Ishiko was laying, watching with wide eyes. But it wasn't her that the figure moved towards.

Reaching the gang leader, the figure lifted Shin by his collar and slapped him awake before looking into his eyes, "You and your friends will go to Bokutou Police Station and surrender yourselves to Chief Sachou."

"Bokutou Station, Chief Sachou," Shin repeated mindlessly as the figure released him and let him fall back to the ground."

"Wh-who are you?" Ishiko asked frightfully.

The figure looked as though it were tilting its head, "Who, what, they're just words used to describe a thing. How do you describe something indescribable? How do you define an idea, a feeling, a belief? If you must think of me as anything, think of me as simply another shadow in the night."

Then the figure extended a hand to help her up. Cautiously, Ishiko took it and was pulled to her feet.

"Go home," the figure ordered, "The night is no place for such as you. These men will not be a problem again."

The figure turned away from Ishiko and began to walk off into the darkness, causing her to call after him, "How do you know that?"

The figure paused and remarked calmly, "I know."

Then he simply seemed to vanish, leaving Ishiko to look around at all the shadows cast by trashcans and street lamps, mailboxes and even herself; suddenly, the night didn't feel quite so empty anymore.


	24. Nabiki's Secret III - Conventional

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental _multi-fandom_ project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. For more details, see the relevent section in my profile. This is The 365 Project, 15 May.

In the immortal words of Samuel L. Clemens... "Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot. BY ORDER OF THE AUTHOR."

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and used for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit.

* * *

><p>-o0O0o-<p>

"Conventional"  
>By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'<p>

-o0O0o-

* * *

><p>He looked around nervously, more concerned with his well-being than he would be at any other time not involving fish-sausages and a pit full of cats; this place went against everything he had grown to know. It had been a good idea, he'd thought - accompany Nabiki and have a couple thousand yen knocked off his debt to her. He'd expected some kind of business or sales presentation, not this, never this. In one corner of the large hall was a group of people wearing black t-shirts and polar bear costumes, talking about 'markers' and 'milling' while drinking Mountain Dew, occasionally interacting with people dressed as foxes, rabbits, and even one person wearing a black outfit with white stripes down their back. Another group dressed as cats and dogs wearing clothes took up a large area, occasionally giving out shouts of "No, Tiff" and "What are <em>you<em> doing here". Ranma was pretty sure that he didn't want to know what that was about since they also kept muttering something about a Rule Number Four. The worst part of it all was that, despite promising to mark five thousand yen off what he owed her if he came to this thing and played bodyguard in case anyone got too 'friendly', Nabiki had disappeared almost as soon as they'd arrived, joining up with a bunch of guys in costumes that made them look like that Aquaman character from the comics, a couple bald guys with goatees and maracas wearing sunglasses, and somebody wearing an outfit that made them look like a giant puddle of gray-green goo carrying a stuffed bear on a stick around - resulting in Ranma being left to fend for himself in this strange, scary place...

When a man wearing white pants and shirt with a stick figure body drawn on them, a mask made of a circle of white paper and a top hat walked by and doffed his hat to Ranma, that was enough for the pig-tailed martial artist.

"Where's Ryoga when I actually need him?" Ranma muttered to himself.


	25. SMH VI - A Glimpse of The Past

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental _multi-fandom_ project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. For more details, see the relevent section in my profile. This is The 365 Project, 17 May.

In the immortal words of Samuel L. Clemens... "Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot. BY ORDER OF THE AUTHOR."

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and "The Shadow" of Smith & Street Publications, as written by 'Maxwell Grant', each being used for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit.

* * *

><p>-o0O0o-<p>

"Shadows of Men and of Horses"  
>'A Glimpse Of The Past'<br>By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'

-o0O0o-

* * *

><p>Morning found Saotome Ranma dressed in 'normal' slacks and a button-up shirt, indistinguishable from any of the thousands of college students and beginning salarymen that could be found in the city of Tokyo, sitting in a tea house with his hands wrapped around a cup of steaming hot rooibos tea, a favorite he had developed during his training. Ranma breathed deeply of the steam rising from his tea, his brain needed a good steam-cleaning after the previous night; something about what he had seen bothered him, some subtle connection between the different crimes he'd dealt with which eluded him. No matter what one chose to call it, Saotome Genma had spent ten years turning him into a living weapon. The Tulku had just made him a more dangerous weapon; a weapon that can think, a sword that knew where to cut to do the most damage without it being fatal, where to stab to cause death to come quickest, how to bring victory without ever drawing blood. The Tulku had taught him the one thing that Genma never understood; focus and restraint.<p>

"Do you need more tea, Ranma-san?" one of the waitresses asked, having become used to seeing Ranma there in the mornings for a cup of tea.

Ranma smiled politely, "Thank you, but no - the tea here is just too good and I need to keep a clear head today."

The waitress fought back a blush caused by those exotic blue eyes being turned her way along with a smile, "You're quite welcome, Ranma-san, you've become one of our best customers, after all."

'Focus and restraint,' Ranma thought when the waitress bowed and moved away, 'All the fighting ability and special techniques in the world mean nothing if the person doesn't know how to direct them.'

Ranma inhaled again and let the warmth of the steam fill his nostrils and give him a moment's respite from the troubling fact that there seemed to be some bond among the criminals, some guiding hand that directed them that he needed to find before he could do more than merely be an irritant to the darker side of the world around him, before he could fulfil the mission given to him by his teacher. But first, he needed to sleep and recover from the night before. Taking his tea cup in his hands, Ranma took a long drink and drained it down to the leaves before sitting it back on the table and standing to leave, leaving the payment for his tea and a tip on the table next to the cup. As he approached the door, Ranma had to turn sideways to keep from being run down by a bob-cut brunette making her way towards the counter. It had been five years, but he still recognised her even if she hadn't recognised - or even seen, considering the way she was moving - him. Almost casually, Ranma reached out with his mind, with the abilities and techniques which the Tulku had taught him and brushed against her thoughts, what he felt causing him to frown. Ranma straightened back up and started towards the door, not even pausing as he sent a single thought in the girl's direction...

_'You haven't changed, Nabs.'_

Not entirely sure she had really heard the familiar voice, Tendo Nabiki's head shot up and she turned to look behind her, but the only thing she saw was the door to the tea house swinging shut.


	26. Going Underground

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental _multi-fandom_ project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. For more details, see the relevent section in my profile. This is The 365 Project, 30 May.

In the immortal words of Samuel L. Clemens... "Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot. BY ORDER OF THE AUTHOR."

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and is being used for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles of Eastman and Laird, same caveats.

* * *

><p>-o0O0o-<p>

"Going Underground"  
>By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'<p>

-o0O0o-

* * *

><p>"Their world can never be ours."<p>

"Not even... pizza?"

"Pizza, okay." - Master Splinter and Michelangelo, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

* * *

><p>-o0o-<p>

Tendo Akane looked around furiously, "Ranma! Stop playing around or we're going to be late to school, you jerk!"

Halfway down the block, a manhole cover lifted up and the aforementioned Saotome Ranma stuck his head out, "Who's playing? You're just slow up there!"

Ki aura flaring in anger, Akane summoned her mallet and ran towards the raised manhole cover, intending to play a quick round of Whack-A-Ranma, but she got there too late. By the time she reached the place where he had been, the manhole cover had settle back in the street and he was long gone, out of sight in the sewer system under the streets of Nerima Ward, leaving Akane to fume in her anger and frustrated wrath. Ever since Ranma had discovered that American martial arts animal series, he'd taken to copying the characters' way of doing some things; including the 'Ninjitsu' they used and traveling around out of sight in the sewers like they did.

...Especially after he learned that 'sewer surfing' helped him to avoid old ladies with ladles splashing water everywhere and bicycle-mounted Amazon Air Assaults. At least he and Ukyo had experienced a falling-out after he suggested she start cooking pizzas instead of okonomiyaki. Strangely enough, Ranma's new habits had given Akane an unexpected ally as Kasumi - normally able to forgive anything - had finally reached her wit's end with the smells that had started to permeate Ranma's clothes and refused to wash anything else of the pigtailed boy's as long as he continued his 'urban exploration', leaving him forced to take his clothes to a public laundry and wash them himself whenever he wanted them cleaned.

A few blocks away, a grate in the floor of Furinken High School's boiler room shook, shifted and finally lifted up as Ranma climbed up out of his 'private tunnels' - as he'd taken to calling the local sewers - after a quick run there. A glance at the clock that the janitor kept in the boiler room along with a comfy chair and a collection of magazines made Ranma grin.

"Awesome," Ranma remarked, using one of the words he'd learned from watching the Hero Turtles, "Made it and plenty of time to spare, too."

Walking over to the wall, Ranma popped open an access vent to the school's central heating and air system and slid inside the ducts. If he timed it right, he should be right over the classroom and able to drop in right when Hinako-Sensei called his name for morning roll.


	27. Chibified VI - Recap

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental _multi-fandom_ project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. For more details, see the relevent section in my profile. This is The 365 Project, 1 June.

In the immortal words of Samuel L. Clemens... "Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot. BY ORDER OF THE AUTHOR."

Disclaimer: "Ranma 1/2" is owned by Takahashi Rumiko and used without permission or intent to profit. I'm unsure who owned "Tenchi Muyo", but it falls under the same classifications and restrictions.

* * *

><p>-o0O0o-<p>

"Chibified"  
>'Recap'<br>By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'

-o0O0o-

* * *

><p>Previously, on "Chibified"...<p>

_The male Chibi-puppet shook his head, "Kuno, Ryoga, Mousse, Kodachi, Shampoo, Ukyo, Akane, the list goes on; everybody seems to be getting in on this fight..."_

_"Holy Hannah, you know what this means, Chibi-ma?" The female puppet announced excitedly, "We've got an unscheduled Survivor Series breaking out here, folks!"_

_"Are you sure about that?"_

_"It's either a Survivor Series or Royal Rumble here, Chibi-ma; either way, it's gonna be a real slobber-knocker of a fight!"_

-o0o-

_"Stupid little chibi-thing," Akane snarled as she summoned her mallet, "Who said you could interfere in my fight!"_

_When Akane swung her mallet intending to smash Chibi-ko, it was a mistake. It was a mistake born of foolish assumption; Akane assumed that because Chibi-ko - and Chibi-ma, for that matter - looked like Ranma, she would react the same as Ranma did and simply let the violent maniac hit her. It was a mistake because Ranma had been raised by Genma, but Chibi-ko had been based on Ranma with additions to her personality from Nodoka, Ryoko and of course Washu-chan that meant she did not always handle things the same way her Ranma-kun would. In this case, she had no intention of letting Akane just hit her and certainly none of letting the attack go unanswered._

_Instead, Chibi-ko rolled to the side away from the mallet and then launched herself towards Akane before the mallet's wielder could recover from her swing. With her arm out to the side, Chibi-ko caught Akane by surprise with a lariat, but instead of knocking her opponent backwards, Chibi-ko ended up swinging around Akane's neck back to her front side and twisting so that she could lock her legs on either side of Akane's head and neck before using Akane's over-reached position and her's own momentum to send the youngest Tendo flying face-first into the ground five feet away._

-o0o-

_"Why, you little..." Kodachi spat out dirt as the Chibis made their ways to opposite sides of her head and as soon as she had lifted her body up off the ground, they caught the female Kuno's head in between two kicks from opposing sides - essentially 'boxing her ears' with their feet - which was one blow too much and caused her to collapse back to the ground unconscious._

_"Ranma-kun's a good man, he's got a good heart," Chibi-ma said to the unconscious Kuno girl, "He doesn't hit girls..."_

_Chibi-ko tugged on her own mini-version of Ranma-kun's Chinese-style shirt, "That's what he's got me for now."_

-o0o-

_Standing over a defeated duo of Ukyo and Shampoo, Chibi-ma raised Chibi-ko's hand into the air, "The winners - and still Tag Team Champions of the Nerima Wrecking Crew..."_

_"Chibified!" Chibi-ko announced loudly._

_Ranma stared at them, not sure what to think, then finally he muttered, "Granny... what have you created?"_

And now, the continuation of "Chibified".

* * *

><p>-o0O0o-<p>

The very fabric of Nerima Ward life had changed since that day. There was a saying that went "Question, how does one fight a big monster; answer, with a bigger monster". That day, the two chibi-puppets created by Ranma's maternal grandmother had proven that, despite their diminuitive stature, they were the biggest 'monsters' in Nerima Ward. The number of attacks on Ranma had decreased; firstly, by many of the fiancees, rivals and associated characters having to spend time in the hospital recovering from broken bones, concussions and other injuries suffered that day; and secondly, by deterrant, as the two puppets were still capable of appearing anywhere Ranma himself as and had already demonstrated that they possessed fighting skills on their human counterpart's own level with far more willingness to put an opponent down hard, no matter who they were.

Fortunately for Genma, Doctor Tofu had been able to contact a proctologist and a veterinarian despite the incident being on a weekend and the three of them had been able to perform emergency surgery to remove the wooden sign from the panda's rear end - and because Genma was technically human, despite his being in his cursed form of a panda at the time of the incident, Ranma and the chibi-puppets were cleared of all charges of animal cruelty and violating protected species laws.

For those that were familar with the two miniature Ranma duplicates, it was as though that day had flipped a switch deep inside their beings; whereas before they had been content to merely sit behind their table and comment on Ranma's own fights, now they were just as likely to intervene and deal with the instigator of a fight themselves as they had done that day. As an unexpected side-effect of fulfilling their secondary function of protecting their creator's grandson, Chibi-Ko and Chibi-Ma had done something else in Nerima Ward; they had reduced the overall level of chaos since most of it resulted from attacks on Ranma by rivals, fiancess and their associates. There was still chaos in Nerima Ward, there would always be chaos in Nerima Ward, it was like a well-spring of chaos, but there was no longer uncontrollable and total chaos in Nerima Ward. Some residents had even went so far as to define it by saying that even if he was still there, the chaos had returned to a 'pre-Ranma' level, even if the local hospital was busier than it had been back before the pigtailed martial artist had arrived in Nerima Ward. If anyone had known the American saying that 'There's a new Sheriff in town", they would have thought it appropriate to the new situation in Nerima Ward; the chibi-puppets wore no stars on their chests and didn't carry six-shooters, but they were the new Sheriffs in town.


	28. Choices

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental _multi-fandom_ project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. For more details, see the relevent section in my profile. This is The 365 Project, 3 June.

In the immortal words of Samuel L. Clemens... "Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot. BY ORDER OF THE AUTHOR."

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and used for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit.

* * *

><p>-o0O0o-<p>

"Choices"  
>By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'<p>

-o0O0o-

* * *

><p>"I've had choices. Since the day that I was born there were voices that told me right from wrong, if I had listened... no, I wouldn't be here today; living and dying with the choices I've made..." - "Choices", George Jones.<p>

* * *

><p>-o0O0o-<p>

Saotome Ranma had a problem. He didn't know who had said it, but he remembered hearing once that too many choices was actually worse than having no choice at all. With all the weird things that happened in his life, he wouldn't be surprised if somehow whoever said that knew him. He'd had come to an unpleasant realisation earlier that day, during the n-th round of 'Bento Wars' between Akane, Ukyo, Shampoo and Kodachi - whatever choice he made in the matter of the multiple engagements, people were going to be hurt emotionally and people were going to be hurt physically, probably him on the second one. If he chose any one of the girls, the other three would be hurt emotionally and would try to hurt him physically, and each of them would bring those close to them along to help hurt him; Akane had their fathers, probably his mother would declare him 'unmanly' and insist he fulfill the _Seppuku_ contract, and he didn't even want to think about how Nabiki and Kasumi would decide to make his life hell...

'Hell,' Ranma thought with a groan as the word made him remember the favorite battle cry of a certain 'eternally lost boy', 'I almost forgot, Ryoga would probably come after me for that too if I 'hurt' Akane...'

Kodachi had her brother who already wanted him dead for Tatewaki's own reasons, their family retainer and the entire Saint Hebereke's Martial Arts Rhythmic Gymnastics team; Shampoo had the Amazon village; Ukyo was, if there was such a thing in this situation, the safest to upset, all she had was Konatsu, her father and the ability to inform the police that she'd finally tracked down the pair of theives that had stole her family's food cart.

"Of course," Ranma commented to the empty air, "Getting arrested would really be bad for my freedom, I like having my freedom, so maybe Ucchan's not that safe to upset after all... And that's just what they'll do to me, not what they'd do to whoever I end up choosing. Dammit, no matter who I chose, I lose... I never lose..."

He frowned, "I choose, I lose... I choose... then I lose... That mean that the only way to win is not make a choice at all?"

Ranma folded his arms across his chest and tilted his head back, "Except I don't exactly got _that_ choice what with everyone around here pushin' me to make the choice they want me to... So if everyone here's pushin' me to make a choice... then the only way to make no choice is not be here, ain't it? It's not running away, it's changing the battleground to one that favors me - if I leave Nerima, I'll have the chance to choose not to choose that I don't have here. Tree."

Ranma twisted to the side to avoid slamming into the tree he had just seen, ending up facedown in the air as his descent continued.

"Wall."

Pulling his legs up, Ranma managed to get them in front of him so that they absorbed the impact against the wall and compacted to give him the force needed to kick off away from the wall towards, "Ground."

Tucking and rolling, Ranma landed with no injuries beyond those he got from his mallet-assisted launch.

"Well, might as well start now, I guess," Ranma decided as he stood up glancing behind him, "If Nerima's that way, I guess I want to go this way."

Ranma gave a nod to the front of him and started walking.


	29. Beachfront

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental _multi-fandom_ project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. For more details, see the relevent section in my profile. This is The 365 Project, 5 June.

In the immortal words of Samuel L. Clemens... "Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot. BY ORDER OF THE AUTHOR."

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and used for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit.

* * *

><p>-o0O0o-<p>

"Beachfront"  
>By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'<p>

-o0O0o-

* * *

><p>Waterproof soap was the best thing to ever come from the Chinese Amazons, Saotome Nabiki decided. Without it, she'd be looking at a short, but busty, redhead instead of at her husband's wonderfully toned body and as far as she was concerned there was just no comparison. She was just glad that a steady supply of said soap was one of the conditions her husband had given in exchange for not leveling the entire Amazon village after the last incident with Shampoo shortly after they'd returned from their honeymoon. Nabiki sighed happily, the only thing better than getting to look at her Ranma's body was getting to look at Ranma's body when it was wet and beads of water were running down every muscle and teasing her with thoughts of running her fingers along those same muscles.<p>

'Oh, the things I could do to that 'Man Among Men' if this was a private beach,' Nabiki thought to herself, mentally cursing the other people on the beach simply for being there and keeping her from doing things with her husband that were definitely not appropriate to do in public.


	30. CQIE I - In The Line of Duty

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental _multi-fandom_ project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. For more details, see the relevent section in my profile. This is The 365 Project, 8 June.

In the immortal words of Samuel L. Clemens... "Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot. BY ORDER OF THE AUTHOR."

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and used for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit.

* * *

><p>-o0O0o-<p>

"In The Line Of Duty"  
>By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'<p>

-o0O0o-

* * *

><p>"Saotome!"<p>

Saotome Ranma swore in his mind before spinning around to grab Tendo Nabiki by the wrists to drag her around until her back was against the wall.

"Dammit, Nabs, you're gonna get us _both_ killed," Ranma spat in her fact before slamming his lips against her own with a force born of frustrated anger.

Nabiki's gasp of surprise was cut off by Ranma covering her mouth with his, but her eyes still widened in shock as the man who was technically her sister's fiancee - even if he hadn't ever actually officially chose Akane to fulfill the Saotome/Tendo marriage contract - did his best to kiss her senseless. Despite the fact that her brain cells seemed to be shutting down from the uncharacteristically... romantic, part of Nabiki's mind wanted to say, actions that Ranma was taking, Nabiki tried her best to mentally retrace the steps that had led her to her current situation.

First, the Japanese government had intervened in Nerima Ward, declaring that events had become too disruptive to ignore any further. As foreign nationals, the Amazons had been escorted to a sea port and put on a boat out of the country by armed members of the Japanese Self-Defence Force. They were also informed that any attempt by any Chinese Amazon to re-enter the country would be considered a hostile act and Japan would respond accordingly. Not everyone had a chance to celebrate one less rival for Ranma's attentions, though, because while that was happening, representatives of the government were investigating further and made the announcement that because Kounji Ukyo had been registered in government records as male, and further because there had been no records made of any agreement between the Saotome and Kounji families, that Ukyo had no legal claim to Ranma and would be held financially and legally accountable for anything resulting from her actions in pursuit of Ranma. Kuno Kodachi recieved a similar statement of accountablity.

Then Ranma had started disappearing at all hours of the day and night, sometimes staying gone for days at a time, his entire attitude changing as he became more and more 'no-nonsense' every time he returned to the Tendo house. When Ryoga had shown up with his usual 'Ranma! Prepare to die!' enterance, Ranma showed the final proof of his change. Instead of his usual easy-going response, Ranma had quickly disabled Ryoga by breaking all four of his limbs and leaving the 'Eternally Lost Boy' halfway through a wall, half-crippled and scared to death. Thanks to her recording equipment, Nabiki was the only one besides them who knew what Ranma had said to Ryoga...

"Next time you threaten to kill me, Ryoga, you better succeed... or I'll be the one killing you and it will be 'in self-defence'."

Needing to know what had happened to change Ranma this way, Nabiki had decided to follow him the next time he went out. She had followed him to an apartment building in the Chiba Ward and when he came out, he was with four other people and had changed his clothes and his entire attitude, projecting an air of a lazy performer with the guitar he carried - she hadn't even known he could play a guitar. Then, Nabiki had followed him to this nightclub and watched as Ranma performed onstage under the name 'Kuroshiro Ryo', slipping backstage when his act ended with the intent to confront him. She had called his name and...

Nabiki whimpered against Ranma's lips, not knowing what was going on and suddenly afraid to find out.

"Come on, Ranma, drop the girl," Somebody said, grabbing the back of Ranma's shirt and giving it a hard tug, "Time to go before we get ourselves caught in the final act."

Ranma pulled away from Nabiki and answered, "Gotta take her, Boss, she knows me outside of this."

'Boss' swore, "Fine, grab her and let's go before they decide to do us in rather than each other."

"Sorry, Nabs," Ranma remarked before quickly jabbing a finger into one of Nabiki's pressure points, causing her to lose consciousness with one last thought.

'What the _hell_ is going on?'


	31. No Mountain High

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental _multi-fandom_ project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. For more details, see the relevent section in my profile. This is The 365 Project, 9 June.

In the immortal words of Samuel L. Clemens... "Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot. BY ORDER OF THE AUTHOR."

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and used for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit.

* * *

><p>-o0O0o-<p>

"No Mountain High"  
>By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'<p>

-o0O0o-

* * *

><p>In a world where nuclear power, exhaustibles like coal and oil and 'green' energy all compete to be the dominant source of power for everyday life, all sides have their supporters and all sides have their detractors. All sides also agree on one thing, 'Dear God, don't let anyone find a way to harness rumors and hearsay as a power source, because it will put me out of business.'<p>

Rumors could build up a reputation or destroy one, send an enemy fleeing in terror or convince them that they had overwhelming superiority. Rumors, it had been said, could travel half-way around the world while the truth was still gearing up. Most importantly; rumors, if they could be confirmed, became information and information was a valuable commodity. That was why in addition to running books and the occasional black marketeering, Tendo Nabiki's 'organisation' at Furinken High School was geared towards collecting rumors, verifying information and selling it to the highest bidders.

To avoid being overheard by the usual parties in Nerima Ward, two of Nabiki's 'employees' had decided to meet at an Azuban-Juuban Ward arcade and ice cream parlour, one ordering a bowl of 'Superman' ice cream while the other had chosen a banana split.

The girl with the bowl of 'Superman' looked across it at the other girl, "So, what was so important that you wanted me to meet you out here in 'Pretty Soldier' territory?"

Banana split girl picked up the cherry by the stem and pointed it at her counterpart, "I need someone to verify some things for me... Where's the boss?"

"Nabiki said a friend invited her to go horseback riding in the mountains, why do you ask?"

"And Saotome is where?"

"Ranma's supposed to be on a training trip up in the mountains," the fact that she had just referred to the mountains twice in a row made 'Superman' girl stop and think, "You don't think...?"

"Nah..." the girl with the banana split waited a moment before continuing, "I know. I saw them getting on a train together and his hand was..."

She grinned and chuckled, "Let's just say it wasn't anywhere you put a hand on your fiance's sister, okay?"

The other girl laid her spoon down in her bowl of 'Superman', "This is going to play hell with the betting pools..."


	32. CQIE II - Stand By To Action

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental _multi-fandom_ project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. For more details, see the relevent section in my profile. This is The 365 Project, 10 June.

In the immortal words of Samuel L. Clemens... "Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot. BY ORDER OF THE AUTHOR."

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and used for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit.

Technically, this would actually take place before "In The Line Of Duty" and exists in the same universe as it.

* * *

><p>-o0O0o-<p>

"Stand By To Action"  
>By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'<p>

-o0O0o-

* * *

><p>The tree shook and small animals scattered as Saotome Ranma hit and slid headfirst to the ground, sighing as he came to rest with his head and back on the ground and his legs against the tree. Casually Ranma looked around before commenting.<p>

"Huh, must've been a bad hit, usually I land on the other side of the park," closing his eyes, Ranma knitted his fingers together behind his head, in no hurry to return to the Tendo house for another round of 'Ranma, you jerk!' and 'Marry Akane to make up for this insult!' from the Tendos and his father's usual 'What have I done to deserve so dishonorable a son?'

"Hmph," Ranma scoffed to himself, knowing who the honor really rested with in the Saotome family and that it wasn't his father, a man who was only kept out of the prison system by the fact that his son - by some unknown power - had a far greater sense of loyalty to others than Saotome Genma ever showed. It was ironic, but whereas before Ranma had merely been one of the best Martial Artists in Nerima Ward, now he was one of the most powerful people there; even if no one knew it. His power wasn't the physical arts that Genma held in such esteem or the mental games that Tendo Nabiki played against everyone with the large numbers of yen in her bank account proof of her string of victories... Ranma's power had become something far more dangerous; the power of someone with connections - the connections of someone who now lived a life not simply for martial arts, but for a purpose; connections with other people who lived their lives for the same purpose...

One of those people speaking drew Ranma from his eyes-closed half-nap, "You're a hard man to find sometimes, Saotome."

Ranma cracked an eye and looked up at the man standing over him, "Yeah, then gimme a GPS, Boss, and you can find me anytime."

"As long as you're attracting water," 'Boss' answered, "We can't afford to keep buying you new locators whenever one gets waterlogged. What did you say this time?"

Ranma twisted and squirmed around until he was now sitting up, his legs crossed and his back against the tree, "Why's everyone always got to think I said something?"

"Uh-huh," the other man nodded, "So what did you say?"

"I just asked if she'd tasted the food first before putting it in a bento box for me, that's all!" Ranma huffed, "Don't see why she got so upset, it's an honest question."

'Boss' looked down at Ranma and shook his head, "Saotome, I thought you'd have worked with us enough by now to have figured it out; honesty, contrary to what people say, is _not_ always the best policy."

Ranma looked at his 'Boss' flatly, "When you realise that you were raised by a lying, cheating, thieving criminal, you learn the value of honesty, fairness and some other things the hard way."

The 'Boss' gave Ranma a cold smile, "I'm not here to argue the morality of what we do with you, Ranma, I'm here to recruit you."

Ranma perked up, "What's the mission?"

'Boss' frowned at him, "You know I can't tell you that here."

"Where and when?" Ranma demanded.

"Chiba safehouse, tomorrow at six. Try to get some rest before then, huh?" 'Boss' managed a quirky smile, "And, uh, maybe some asprin too if you're going to go around crashing into trees, okay, Ranma?"

Ranma scratched his cheek before commenting, "Maybe two bottles, just in case, huh, Boss?"

"Tomorrow, six," the 'Boss' answered before shaking his head and walking away.


	33. CQIE III - Credo Quia Impossible Est

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental _multi-fandom_ project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. For more details, see the relevent section in my profile. This is The 365 Project, 11 June.

In the immortal words of Samuel L. Clemens... "Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot. BY ORDER OF THE AUTHOR."

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and used for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit.

* * *

><p>-o0O0o-<p>

"Credo Quia Impossible Est"  
>By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'<p>

-o0O0o-

"I believe because it is impossible." - Translation of title.

-o0O0o-

* * *

><p>"Good morning, Ms. Tendo."<p>

The words caused Tendo Nabiki to stir where she lay.

"Ms. Tendo?" The voice repeated, causing Nabiki's eyes to flutter.

"I'll get her up, Boss," a second, more familiar voice commented, then added, "Hey, Nabs! Wake up or Pops'll eat all the breakfast up!"

Nabiki suddenly jerked up into a sitting position and full-wakefulness with an exclaimation of "Panda-skin rug!"

Saotome Ranma chuckled and the unfamiliar man standing next to him managed a slight grin at Nabiki's reaction to Ranma's 'wake-up call'.

"Morning, Nabs," Ranma smirked, "Sleep well?"

Nabiki glared at him, "You've got a lot of explaining to do, Saotome... and you..."

She turned her glare on the man next to Ranma - if she were to describe him in one word, it would be 'nondescript' - and frowned, "Who are you, anyway?"

'Mr. Nondescript' shook his head, "You first, Ms. Tendo. Why were you following us?"

"I don't even know who you are," Nabiki snapped back, "I was trying to find out why my sister's fiancee was acting so weird - even for him."

"Mr. Saotome is one of us, Ms. Tendo," 'Mr. Nondescript' replied, "Your actions in following him put him at risk as well as the rest of us. Basically saying you were 'curious' won't excuse your actions."

Nabiki stood up, "I don't know what kind of game's being played here, but I'm not playing."

The middle Tendo sister started to push her way past Ranma and 'Mr. Nondescript' and was startled when they each grabbed an arm and physically threw her back onto the couch.

"Sit down, Nabs," Ranma said with an uncharacteristic chill in his voice, "You leave when the 'Boss' clears you to leave."

"Now," the 'Boss' put his foot up on the couch next to Nabiki, "Why - exactly - were you following Mr. Saotome?"

"Better answer him, Nabiki," Ranma commented, folding his arms over his chest, "This ain't like the games you're used to from Nerima Ward... 'Boss', you mind if I..."

"No, go ahead," 'Boss' answered, "Why don't you go see what Hiryuki's found so far?"

Ranma nodded and headed towards a door, pausing long enough to call back, "Don't break her too bad, 'Boss', okay? As dumb as she can be sometimes, she's still kinda family."

"That depends on Ms. Tendo, Ranma," the 'Boss' replied, "Get going."

The sound of the door shutting behind Ranma, leaving her alone with this mysterious 'Boss', echoed in Nabiki's ears as he looked down at her and narrowed his eyes.


	34. CQIE IV - Ante Up

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental _multi-fandom_ project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. For more details, see the relevent section in my profile. This is The 365 Project, 12 June.

In the immortal words of Samuel L. Clemens... "Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot. BY ORDER OF THE AUTHOR."

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and used for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit.

* * *

><p>-o0O0o-<p>

"Ante Up"  
>By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'<p>

-o0O0o-

* * *

><p>In a room, four people sat around a coffee table - two on a couch, one on a loveseat and the fourth in a chair across from the couch - playing a card game; five-card draw, penny-ante.<p>

Sitting on the couch, Saotome Ranma generated and held a ki ball under the nose of the man next to him, "Practice on ya own time."

The person rolled their eyes and with exaggerated slowness pulled a card from their sleeve and placed it in their hand and took one from their hand and put it up their sleeve.

"Uh-huh," the third man at the table nodded, "Now try it with the cards you were dealt, Akira."

Akira sighed and repeated the motions, "You guys take all the fun out of this game."

The lone girl at the table, her legs curled up underneath her on the love seat, batted her eyelashes, "Well, I'm glad you didn't include me in that since we all know I'm most certainly not a 'guy'."

"Get two cups of water, hot and cold, and prove it, May," Ranma snorted, fulfilling his usual part in such an exchange.

"Cold water for you, Ranma, and a good cat-fight for us - I'm all for it," the third man announced.

"Hiryuki," Ranma reabsorbed the ki ball that he had been holding under Akira's nose, "How would you like a punch in the nose?"

The door opened and the 'Boss' stepped into the room, holding the door open as he commented, "Violence doesn't solve everything, Ranma."

All four at the poker table looked at their 'Boss' in disbelief before Ranma spoke for all of them, "That's crazy-talk, Boss."

"Then I guess I'm crazy," the Boss replied before continuing, "Ranma, you already know her, but to the rest of you, I'd like to introduce the newest member of our little band of ne'er-do-well do-gooders... Team, this is Ms. Tendo."

When the named girl walked into the room, Ranma raised his hand and waved at her, "Hey, Nabs."

"I'm out," Akira threw down his cards.

"Fold," May announced delicately.

"Take it," Hiryuki snorted, dropping his cards on the table.

"Oh," Ranma swore as he realised that, when waving to Nabiki, he had shown the other three players his hand.

"Well, at least _that's_ normal," Nabiki muttered to herself, only to be overheard by the others.

Ranma laughed, "Normal? Nabs, the one thing all of us here have in common is none of us is able to be normal. I grew up on the road learning nothing but how to fight..."

"And he's the most well-adjusted person here," Akira interjected with a grin, "So you can guess how screwed up that makes the rest of us."

"You're 'screwed up'," May shook her head defensively, "I'm not."

"I'm sorry," Hiryuki countered, "I still remember how you ended up being recruited for this."

"But they were all bad people," May answered innocently.

"Ms. Tendo, the wide-eyed innocent is Shiryu Mayuko - don't let the look fool you, she's nothing of the sort," the 'Boss' pointed at the guy who had commented on the group being 'screwed up', "The wiseguy is Kishi Akira. Akira is a headliner magician, unfortunately he's sworn never to use his powers for good. Trust him with you life, but never with your dinner."

"Hey, Boss, now that's unfair!" Akira complained, "Why would you go and tell the new girl something like that?"

"Because I know you, Akira," the Boss answered, "Finally, there's Akatome Hiryuki - gamer, gambler and has a good claim on being one of the smartest people in Japan, maybe even the world."

"World-class cook, too," Hiryuki added, "But no one ever mentions that."

"That's not the final person," Nabiki pointed out.

"You already know Ranma, Ms. Tendo," the 'Boss' reminded her.

"Yeah, but I don't know _you_," Nabiki pointed out, then frowned, "Ranma, Akira, but you call me 'Ms. Tendo', why?"

"Because I don't trust you," the 'Boss' answered simply, "And until I do, I have no intention of calling you anything else or giving you my name. For now, you can simply call me 'Boss' like the others."

The hard look in his eyes as he said that made Nabiki gulp and wonder again what she had gotten herself into...


	35. Patron

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental _multi-fandom_ project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. For more details, see the relevent section in my profile. This is The 365 Project, 17 June.

In the immortal words of Samuel L. Clemens... "Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot. BY ORDER OF THE AUTHOR."

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and used for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit.

* * *

><p>-o0O0o-<p>

"Patron"  
>By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'<p>

-o0O0o-

* * *

><p>Contrary to popular belief, most people in Japan did not follow Shinto as a religion. They followed certain Shinto traditions including families being associated to specific shrines and temples or festivals and ceremonies meant to bring good luck, a good harvest or merely the blessings of the kamis - but Shinto, as a religion, was slowly dying out.<p>

It was just as much a common belief that Saotome Ranma paid no attention in school - or, for that matter, to anything that didn't have the words 'Martial Arts' in front of it. That one, however, had a certain element of truth to it. It wasn't that Ranma didn't try to pay attention, rather that as someone who associated learning with harrowing experiences like being tied to a moving train to learn to run or learning to swim by being thrown into a lake with rocks tied to their legs, lectures and bookwork were a foreign concept. Sometimes, though, a school lesson was enough to get Ranma's attention, a lesson on Ancient History, specifically the Greeks and Romans. Like in Shinto, they believed that everything had a spirit, a god or goddess behind it; not just the ones everyone knew like Zeus, Hera, Apollo, Aphrodite and Ares, but every river and forest had its own minor god who was a part of it. Ranma could understand that; after all, every Cursed Spring of Jusenkyo had its own spirit, the essence of the drowned trapped within by the magic of the Springs. Most of these 'Olympians' and others weren't enough for Ranma to care, but there was one that drew his attention enough for him to have made his way to the beach during a time when the usual chaos in Nerima Ward was at an ebb. Avoiding the water itself as best as he could, Ranma knelt on a rock that at high tide would be surrounded by water and began to speak.

"I... uh, I know I'm not the kind of 'horse' the stories say you're used to dealing with," Ranma remarked towards the ocean before him, "But you're supposed to be a Kami of water and these days water plays a bigger part in my life than I'd like it to..."


	36. Chibified VII - Extreme Rules

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental _multi-fandom_ project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. For more details, see the relevent section in my profile. This is The 365 Project, 2 July. That means we're over the halfway point and headed for the goal line...

In the immortal words of Samuel L. Clemens... "Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot. BY ORDER OF THE AUTHOR."

Disclaimer: "Ranma 1/2" is owned by Takahashi Rumiko and "Love Hina" by Akamatsu Ken, each used without permission or intent to profit. I'm unsure who owned "Tenchi Muyo", but it falls under the same classifications and restrictions.

* * *

><p>-o0O0o-<p>

"Chibified"  
>'Extreme Rules'<br>By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'

-o0O0o-

* * *

><p>"And now we come to tonight's main event, don't we, Chibi-ko?"<p>

"That's right, Chibi-ma. And may I say, I'm surprised that Kuno's lasted this long without dedicating a fight to his 'pigtailed goddess'?"

The nightmare never seemed to end. It had taken months for his noble body to recover from the damage done him that day, but he knew his soul still suffered. He now saw those accursed puppets in his dreams, the one was but the foul sorceror in miniature, not daring to hide its evil from the world, and the other was not a prison to his Pigtailed Maiden's soul but rather an evil thing made in her image to taunt him. Oh, it was to mourn, that the vile Saotome would unleash such hideous creations upon the world to do his bidding as he was too weak spiritually to defeat the pure soul of the Blue Thunder. That his stain upon the family honor of a father had gone so far as to do this only proved to Kuno Tatewaki that all hope for his family's future rested upon his noble brow. To think that one in whom the blood of Kuno flowed would not only permit the existance of those accursed puppets but to willingly invite them into the sacred halls of learning of Furinken High School to defile with their presence and their words the noble art of Kendo and the sacred competition between schools... oh, such disgrace upon his family's honor...

"...What was the name of the other school again?" One of the accursed puppets commented.

The other, the mocking one, the insult to his Pigtailed Maiden, answered with a shrug, "Who knows or cares? I'm just here to see Kuno get his ass kicked."

"Can you say that in public?" Chibi-ma frowned.

"Anyone who has a problem with that," his 'sister' answered, "can take it up with my foot when it kicks _their_ ass."

"Okay, before Chibi-ko has us arrested for creating a public disturbance or something... Kuno's challenger for this evening's main event - an 'anything goes' bokken fight to the finish - Aoyama Motoko of the Shinmeiryu School of Swordsmanship."

"With any luck, it will be a fight to Kuno's finish," Chibi-Ko muttered loud enough for her microphone to pick up.

-o0o-

* * *

><p>Forty minutes later, the fight still went on.<p>

"Oh, come on!" Chibi-ko shouted in frustration, "Somebody kick somebody's ass, I don't care whose anymore!"

The fight was also proving that Kuno's losses against Ranma weren't because he wasn't skilled with a bokken or katana - rather that he was too skilled, skilled to the point of being unable to know what to do when his opponent didn't use a similar weapon and thus fought beyond Kuno's realm of knowledge. Aoyama, for her part, was equally skilled and so the fight continued in a deadlock with neither side able to gain supremacy over the other long enough to force it to a conclusion.

Chibi-ma looked at the stands and the people getting up from their seats and heading for the doors... and shook his head, "When the audience starts leaving, that's when you know that somebody just needs to end the damn fight."

"Where the hell's the damn ref?" Chibi-ko swore, flipping her red ponytail over her shoulder, "Just declare this fight a draw already so we can go home!"

"Lesser Air-Cutting Flash!"

The two chibi-puppets watched as Aoyama's special technique launched Kuno out of the ring and through the wall.

"Was that legal?" Chibi-ma asked.

"Who cares? I'm just glad this is over!" Chibi-ko answered, "I haven't been this bored since that droning English guy substituted for Hinako-sensei and put the entire class to sleep."


	37. Chibified VIII - Tag Team

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental _multi-fandom_ project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. For more details, see the relevent section in my profile. This is The 365 Project, 3 July.

In the immortal words of Samuel L. Clemens... "Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot. BY ORDER OF THE AUTHOR."

Disclaimer: "Ranma 1/2" is owned by Takahashi Rumiko and "Love Hina" by Akamatsu Ken, each used without permission or intent to profit. I'm unsure who owned "Tenchi Muyo", but it falls under the same classifications and restrictions.

* * *

><p>-o0O0o-<p>

"Chibified"  
>'Tag-Team'<br>By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'

-o0O0o-

* * *

><p>It was a normal day in Tokyo's Nerima Ward...<p>

"Ranma die, please!"

...Which is to say it was complete and utter chaos. Pretty standard really. At least it wasn't a dark and stormy night, though. Those seem to happen so often that it seems like some places wouldn't know what a dry, sunny day was.

"For those just joining us," a voice seemed to echo throughout the entire Ward, "Ranma-kun's once again caught in the middle of somebody else's problem."

"That's right, Chibi-ma," a second voice, female, added, "And this is just further proof that all the Fiance Corps are short-tempered, trigger-happy idiots, really."

"You know, Chibi-ko," Chibi-ma commented, "If _I _had said that, it'd be sexist, just because chibi-puppet or not, I'm still a guy..."

"Hey, it's the truth," Chibi-ko answered, "Shampoo got her ass kicked and knocked out, so the next time she sees the girl that did it she attacks them - only it's not her, it's her twin sister, who's actually trying to help the Amazon twit. Now she's got them both after her for revenge and like you said, any time someone comes to Nerima Ward wanting revenge on anyone, Ranma-kun ends up gettting caught in it."

"What kind of idiots decide to punish Shampoo by attacking Ranma-kun, answer me that?" Chibi-ma asked.

"Besides Akane when she mallets him for being too dazed to avoid being glomped after an Amazon Airborne Assault?" Chibi-ko replied, "Or was that a rhetorical question?"

"That really was a rhetorical question," Chibi-ma informed his 'sister', "Now we're going to get it from Akane's little fanclub - again."

"Let them come," Chibi-ko grinned ferally, "It'll give the local EMTs job security."

"Ladies and Gentlemen, if you're listening to this... she's the sanest female in the family - Ranma-kun's cursed form doesn't count - just remember that," Chibi-ma announced.


	38. SMH VII - On Darkness' Trail

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental _multi-fandom_ project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. For more details, see the relevent section in my profile. This is The 365 Project, 4 July.

In the immortal words of Samuel L. Clemens... "Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot. BY ORDER OF THE AUTHOR."

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and "The Shadow" of Smith & Street Publications, as written by 'Maxwell Grant', each being used for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit.

* * *

><p>-o0O0o-<p>

"Shadows of Men and of Horses"  
>'On Darkness' Trail'<br>By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'

-o0O0o-

* * *

><p>The cloaked figure with the scarf wrapped around his lower face sighed, the secret truth was he didn't like having to do things like this, he didn't like having to be a violent and cruel person... unfortunately, too often the only way to defeat monsters was by becoming a greater monster, one they would fear and cower before...<p>

"A name, Yakushi," the cloaked figure repeated firmly, his rocklike demeanor a sharp contrast to the panicked fear of the man he was holding over the edge of the rooftop, "Give me a name."

"Sakata!" the man named Yakushi spat out, trying not to look behind or below him where there was nothing more than empty air for too far for his comfort, "Sakata Enterprises - they're a big shot with Sakata Enterprises, that's all I know, I swear!"

The cloaked figure slowly shook his head, "Why don't I believe you, Yakushi?"

"I'm telling you the truth!" Yakushi tried not to whimper in fear, he hated heights to begin with and now this.

"Prove it!" The figure demanded.

"Hinata Springs," Yakushi answered, "There's a lot of talk about Hinata Springs! And that's all I know! I swear by the kamis!"

"By the spirits?" The figure laughed coldly, mockingly, "How can you swear by something you don't even believe in, Yakushi?"

Yakushi gulped audibly, he'd hoped that this shadowy figure wouldn't figure out that his oath had no real basis.

"I'll give you one last chance, Yakushi," the figure offered, "What do you know about Tendo?"

"Ten-Tendo?" Yakushi stammered, "Who's that?"

The figure loosened their grip on Yakushi, enough so that the man could feel it, "My hand's getting tired, Yakushi..."

"Tendo's some kind of amatuer that thinks she's a boss," Yakushi rattled off, "She's been trying to move in on some of the local numbers and bookmaking acts. The bosses sent her a warning a couple weeks ago, but it looks like she's ignoring it, so they're planning on sending her a message two nights from tonight."

"It's amazing how much you know with the proper motivation, Yakushi," the shadowy figure taunted.

"Does this mean you're gonna let me go now?"

"You could say that. One more thing, Yakushi... I hate it when people lie to me," The figure informed him before releasing him into the empty air. Yakushi began screaming until he was cut off by the sudden stop of his descent. The figure looked down, Yakushi had only fallen about three meters to land on the penthouse's balcony, the worst injury he had was a broken leg and the facts that he'd passed out and lost control of himself in fright.

"Don't worry, Yakushi," the figure commented to the unconscious form below him, "I understand the prison system has a great health plan."


	39. CQIE V - Catching Up

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental _multi-fandom_ project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. For more details, see the relevent section in my profile. This is The 365 Project, 23 August. 131 days left in the year...

In the immortal words of Samuel L. Clemens... "Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot. BY ORDER OF THE AUTHOR."

Disclaimer: "Ranma 1/2" is owned by Takahashi Rumiko and used without permission or intent to profit.

* * *

><p>-o0O0o-<p>

"Credo Quia Impossible Est"  
>'Catching Up'<br>By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'

-o0O0o-

* * *

><p>"Alright, put the cards away," 'The Boss' instructed, and Nabiki had never actually seen Ranma follow an order before like he did now - making sure to pocket his winnings from the penny-ante game while he was at it, "Hiryuki, what do you have for me?"<p>

The younger man picked up a laptop that lay on the floor next to his seat and sat it on the cleared table, opening it, "Well, Boss, what I was able to get off of their system in the time I had..."

"Skip the editorialising, Hiryuki," May rolled her eyes, "Please, I can only take so much..."

"Anyway," Hiryuki shot her a dirty look as he brought up the information on the laptop's screen, "It looks like Hitoko's a smart one; nothing verifiably dirty actually happens at the club. Everything there can be made to look legit, covered up, or..."

Hiryuki smirked as he finished, "Disavowed, for that matter."

"Always gotta be the funny man, huh, Hiryuki?" Saotome Ranma commented with his arms folded across his chest.

"Somebody's got to," Hiryuki retorted, "You've got no sense of humor."

"Ranma," The Boss chided, then looked to Hiryuki, "Go on."

"The real fun is that the order of the performers and their songs is really the code for the next auction," Hiryuki continued, "To the average clubber, it doesn't mean anything; but to Hitoko's 'associates', it tells them where and when he's holding another sale."

"Hey, remember me?" Nabiki spoke up, "I have no clue what you're talking about here..."

Ranma growled softly, "Drugs, Nabs. Hitoko Shinji brings them in from outside the country and sells them to dealers here..."

"We remove him," Akira explained further, "And it becomes a lot harder for the dealers to get their supply - at least for a while."

"When you say 'remove'," Nabiki began nervously.

"We don't kill," The Boss sharply cut in.

"Unfortunately," May sighed, "No matter how satisfying it would be sometimes."

The Boss gave May a stern look before repeating, "We don't kill."

"So how do you 'remove' people then?" Nabiki asked.

"That's something we gotta figure out," Ranma informed her.

"What do you think, Ranma," The Boss looked at Nabiki thoughtfully, "'looking to move up'?"

The 'muscle' shook his head, "Nah, Boss, Nabs' reputation's too good for it. Everyone knows she don't go there."

"I could do it," May remarked.

"Like it or not, you're too well known by some of the people that might be at this auction, Mayuko," The Boss shook his head, "That leaves you out."

"I don't like it," Ranma grumbled, "But 'Ranko' could do it... and with some hot water, it'll put me on the inside if something goes wrong."

Nabiki had been looking back and forth like following a tennis match without being able to know what the score even was, "Do... what, exactly?"

"The information we need to be able to attend Hitoko's auction is coded," Hiryuki explained, "A code we don't have. There's only two places we can get the code, from Hitoko or from one of his buyers. Hitoko we'd have to convince whoever we send is an up-and-coming dealer, someone who can make him yen..."

"But it takes time to set up a proper 'face' for that approach," The Boss picked up, "Time we don't have if we want to keep Hitoko's next shipment from ever hitting the streets. And if we tried to force it from one of his buyers, they're warn him and he'd change the code, the auction time and place, everything, and we'd be back at the beginning or worse with Hitoko alert for us."

"Which just leaves coercing it out of one of 'em..." Ranma huffed, "I hate havin' to use 'feminine wiles' to get a job done..."

The Boss patted him on the shoulder, "We'll find some way to make it up to you, Ranma... Hiryuki? Find Ranko a mark..."


	40. Chibified IX - Locker Room

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental _multi-fandom_ project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. For more details, see the relevent section in my profile. This is The 365 Project, 29 September.

In the immortal words of Samuel L. Clemens... "Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot. BY ORDER OF THE AUTHOR."

Disclaimer: "Ranma 1/2" is owned by Takahashi Rumiko, used without permission or intent to profit. I'm unsure who owned "Tenchi Muyo", but it falls under the same classifications and restrictions.

* * *

><p>-o0O0o-<p>

"Chibified"  
>'Locker Room'<br>By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'

-o0O0o-

* * *

><p>He'd never heard the word, wouldn't know what it meant if he did and be completely unable to spell it, but trepidation was the word of the day as Saotome Ranma stood before the crab-nameplated door that led to his grandmother's lab. For the longest time, Ranma had thought only two things could scare him, not just make him worried, but really scare him; Cats and Akane's cooking. Now he knew he could add a third; Jusenkyo would never hold the dark place in his heart that the laboratory of Hibiki Washu - and he made sure to thank every Kami he could think of that his Granny and Ryoga having the same last name was just coincidence and they weren't related at all; he'd even paid Nabiki to check it out just to be sure - held as the birthplace of the most dangerous... things to have ever entered his life.<p>

"We're off to see the Maker, the wonderful Maker of us," the female chibi-Ranma puppet sang as she sat on the left shoulder of the full-sized original.

"Everything Washu-chan gave us, all the knowledge and abilities," the male chibi-Ranma puppet sitting on Ranma's right shoulder sighed, "And you still can't sing worth a flip..."

"At least I've got talent," Chibi-ko snapped.

"Both of you, quit it, okay?" Ranma himself groaned, "Not right in my ears, anyway..."

"Sure thing, Ranma-kun," Chibi-ko cooed.

"Whatever you say," Chibi-ma shrugged.

"Something wrong, Ranma-kun?" Sasame, the youngest of his grandmother's housemates, asked from where she was looking through a cookbook; despite being much younger and having blue hair in pigtails rather than a brown ponytail, she really reminded him of Kasumi a little too much sometimes.

"Uh..." Ranma looked at the door in front of him before answering, "Just a little nervous, I guess. Still not used to Granny Washu's lab."

Sasame giggled, "Tenchi doesn't like going in there either, but you should be safe. After all, you're her family, right?"

"That's not reassuring," Ranma muttered before he opened the door and stepped on through to the other side.

* * *

><p>-o0o-<p>

"Good morning, Little Ranma!" A voice greeted cheerily, followed by two higher pitched similar voices who added, "And good morning Chibi-Ranma puppets!"

"Good morning, Chibi-Washu puppets," Chibi-ko and Chibi-ma replied, waving hello.

It wasn't being wrapped in fish sausages and thrown into a pit of hungry cats time after time, day after day for only the Kami would know how long, but Ranma felt the beginnings of a feeling of dread relating to 'chibi-puppets' shoot down his spine.

"Good morning, Gran-" Ranma stopped at the cold glare his grandmother was giving him, he was the Greatest Martial Artist in the world, a certified Godslayer... and somehow, that woman half his size scared him more with a hard look than anyone who had ever threatened his death could at their worst, "Washu-chan."

Washu's expression changed from warning coldness to warm and welcoming, "So, how can I help my favorite grandson today? It has to be something for you to come all the way out here from Tokyo, after all."

"It's these two," Ranma pointed with his thumbs at Chibi-ma and Chibi-ko, "I think something might have been knocked loose or something - they're acting... weird, I guess..."

"Uh-huh," Washu leaned forward on her floating pillow, "And just how weird are they acting, can you tell?"

"Well, they keep... talking," Ranma answered.

"Of course they talk, silly," Washu shook her head, "They're supposed to do that, they're meant to be as life-like as possible in as many respects as they can."

"You're the greatest, Washu-chan!" one of the redheaded scientist's chibi-puppets cheered, only for the other to add, "No one can create like you can, Washu-chan!"

"No, no, not talking," Ranma groaned, "I mean, yeah, they talk... but it's what they're saying, how they're acting..."

"Aaaaand?" Washu drew out the word with a somewhat disturbing grin.

"They keep acting like some kind of sports announcers," Ranma finally managed to grumble.

"That's a problem?" Washu asked.

"Well... I dunno," Ranma finally admitted, "Are they supposed to be doing that?"

"You do a sport, right?"

"I practice the Art," Ranma nodded slowly.

"And you talk about it?"

"Yeah, I guess," Ranma agreed.

Washu gave him a smile that went right up to her eyes, "Then, yes, that's what they're supposed to do! They're based on you for the most part, if you'll remember."

Ranma's eyes widened and he looked from one chibi-Ranma puppet to the other, "That's... in me?"

"Yes!" Washu informed him, causing her grandson to look at her... and promptly faint, his chibi-puppets jumping away as he fell to the floor.

While Chibi-ma leant over Ranma and tried to shake him back to consciousness, Chibi-ko looked around and exclaimed, "Somebody get the medics in here! The champ is down!"


	41. SMH VIII - Intersection

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental _multi-fandom_ project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. For more details, see the relevent section in my profile. This is The 365 Project, 1 October.

In the immortal words of Samuel L. Clemens... "Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot. BY ORDER OF THE AUTHOR."

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and "The Shadow" of Smith & Street Publications, as written by 'Maxwell Grant', each being used for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit.

* * *

><p>-o0O0o-<p>

"Shadows of Men and of Horses"  
>'Intersection'<br>By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'

-o0O0o-

* * *

><p>It was not quite accurate to say that it had been two nights, more accurate would be that it was the second night since Yakushi's 'interrogation'. The night that the local 'bosses' planned to send a message to a newcomer attempting to gain a foothold on their territory. Normally, the man sitting in the darkened room of the top-floor apartment would consider this as an opportunity to deliver both the 'messengers' and the newcomer a message of his own - the weed of crime bares bitter fruit - but there was a situation. The newcomer was someone he had known in another lifetime, before the Tulku of the Temple of the Cobras had given him a new life of purpose and true honor. If he had not ran after killing Saffron, if he had never met the Tulku, Tendo Nabiki could very well have ended up as his sister-in-law if their fathers' had been granted their way.<p>

Sitting cross-legged on the floor, Saotome Ranma stared into the flame of the candle, looking for answers in one of the myriad of ways in which the Tulku had taught him to use his mind. By trying to take control of the numbers and gambling rackets around her, Nabiki was proving herself to be a criminal, a force of disorder and corruption... But she was still someone he had known in his past, someone who had been a part of his life. It was like the Tulku had taught him; in the dark places in which he would walk, he would have to know himself and control himself, for his enemies would not hesitate to turn his past, his emotions, anything they could touch into a weapon against him. Ranma would be the first one to admit that his past was a very big, very dangerous weapon to face.

Ranma reached down to the floor between him and the candle, lifting the piece of red cloth up into his sight; that was why he cloaked his identity, his very being in the shadows. If his past could become a weapon against him, then he would become a man without a past, a shadow in the night. Slowly, Ranma began to wrap the red fabric around the lower part of his face, covering his mouth...

* * *

><p>-o0o-<p>

Tendo Nabiki clucked her tongue and tapped the papers in her hand against the edge of the counter in the bakery's back room.

"I don't think you're hearing me, Hijima-san," Nabiki shook her head, "Imagine how your wife and son would feel to find out what you really do. The shame they'll feel, how dishonored they'll be... and all you have to do to keep them from it is just letting me have a little cut from your backdoor profits. That's not too much to ask for your family's peace-of-mind, now is it?"

Hijima the baker clenched his fist, "And I'm telling you, Tendo, I said 'no'. That won't be happening."

Nabiki shook her head disappointedly, "Then I guess our business is concluded, Hijima-san... I'd offer my condolences, but, well, you brought it on yourself, you know."

As she started to move to leave the back room, Hijima snapped his fingers and two men stepped through the door that led down to the cellar.

"You were warned, Tendo-san," the one on the left began, "Not to involve yourself in affairs of those who send us."

"You did not listen," the one on the right continued, "We have been sent to ensure that this time you understand the message you are given."

The two men started to approach Nabiki, reaching under their sports jackets, and the lights in the bakery went out. The last thing Nabiki heard was the sounds of gunshots.

* * *

><p>-o0o-<p>

When Nabiki regained consciousness, she looked around in concern; she was no longer in Hijima's bakery, instead she was laying on a bench in Azuban-Juuban Park. Sitting up, Nabiki quickly patted herself down, finding no bullet holes, nor did she find the papers she had on Hijima's connections.

"Okay, what just happened?" Nabiki demanded to the empty night, causing an unseen figure to shake their head.

_'Go home, Tendo!' _Ranma projected into her mind with a snarl, he had saved her this time for the sake of his past, her future was now in her own hands. On the bench, Nabiki suddenly found herself rubbing her temples, trying to figure out why she felt like she needed to just go home and forget about Hijima and his operation, along with everything that had happened tonight...


	42. Dry

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental _multi-fandom_ project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. For more details, see the relevent section in my profile. This is The 365 Project, 6 October.

In the immortal words of Samuel L. Clemens... "Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot. BY ORDER OF THE AUTHOR."

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and used for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit.

* * *

><p>-o0O0o-<p>

"Dry"  
>By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'<p>

-o0O0o-

* * *

><p>He wasn't afraid. He kept telling himself that he wasn't afraid of the rain, no matter how hard it came down, no matter how loud the thunder rolled, he just kept repeating to himself that he wasn't afraid. It wasn't fear, it was just caution that made him stay as far away from the windows and outside walls as he could, cringing every time the rain grew heavier. Rain was water and water made his curse activate. If he could avoid water, then he could stay the way he was supposed to be. Even if his cursed form had its uses, it wasn't who he was and he didn't like being in it when he didn't have to... Especially after that 'incident'; he would never against be able to hear that name without a feeling of dread overtaking him. No, he didn't like his cursed form and he didn't like water - in any of its forms - now that it could make him change forms. And really, it all boiled down to being one person's fault...<p>

"Curse you, Pops," Ranma swore to himself, "Because of _you, I've _seen Hell!"

But at least he was dry at the moment.


	43. The Escapist's Art

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental _multi-fandom_ project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. For more details, see the relevent section in my profile. This is The 365 Project, 8 October.

In the immortal words of Samuel L. Clemens... "Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot. BY ORDER OF THE AUTHOR."

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and used for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit. Inspired by the fact that I've never seen a Ranma 'escape artist' story that I can recall.

* * *

><p>-o0O0o-<p>

"The Escapist's Art"  
>By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'<p>

-o0O0o-

* * *

><p>It had started when he was seven years of age; after the hell that was the 'Neko-ken' training he had come out of the cat-mind state in the lap of an old lady who quickly adopted him as a kind of surrogate grandson. In the few short weeks before his Pops found him there, Saotome Ranma discovered a life outside of constant training in Martial Arts. When Genma finally found him after three weeks of searching - well, one week of searching and two weeks recovering from the injuries 'neko-Ranma' had inflicted on him, actually - Ranma soon found himself tied behind a train and running towards some unknown location as Genma attempted to prevent the boy from 'going soft'. The seed, however, had already been planted...<p>

* * *

><p>-o0o-<p>

An eight-year-old Ranma looked at his friend Ucchan, "Is the food cart going to explode or something? Is that why he's running so fast with it?"

Mister Kuonji looked from his daughter to the boy to the food cart fading in the distance, "But a second ago you were... how did...?"

Ranma pointed at a low-hanging tree limb, "I grabbed that as we went by - I might like food better than Ucchan, but I like anything better than Pops!"

It would take Genma three months to find the travelling Okonomiyaki trio. In the fourth month, he would begin to develop a fear of spatulas that would plague him for the rest of his life and lead him to do his best to keep Ranma far and away from any kitchen supply stores they might happen across.

* * *

><p>-o0o-<p>

Six years later, two fourteen-year-old boys sat in the sun on an Italian beach.

"You worry too much about getting where you're going," one of them pointed at the other with a breadstick that he held, "Look around us; sunshine, pretty girls, the beach... and you can't tell me that this bread isn't lots better than the school's stuff."

"Okay, you win," the other boy admitted, adjusting the bandanna he wore, "It ain't always a bad thing to be able to get lost like this... but what are we going to do about class?"

Ranma chuckled, "What could we learn there that we can't learn here? I tell ya, Ryoga, I'd love having your 'curse'. Tell ya what, we find a way to do it and we can trade; I'll take your curse and become the 'Eternally Lost Boy' and you can have my Pops training ya as a martial artist, how 'bout that?"

Ryoga snorted, "I met your Pops, forget it. Pass me that toasted bread, huh?"

"Sure thing," Ranma held out the plate it was on, "You want the dipping stuff, too?"

* * *

><p>-o0o-<p>

Saotome Genma was near tears. The last decade had been meant to establish his legacy in The Art and prepare for his retirement, instead nearly everything he had worked to created had come close to being destroyed. It was all the boy's fault - he lacked dedication, he kept running off instead of training and now this. Genma had been forced to travel all the way to Europe to retrieve his disgraceful son and take him back to Japan so that he could present the boy at the Tendo Dojo and fulfill his pact with his oldest friend. That had been almost two years ago and they still hadn't made Tokyo yet because the boy kept disappearing only to turn up in the most frustrating places; two of the latest had been as a recruit in the Chinese Red Army - and kidnapping the brat back, that is, 'retrieving his wayward son' - had ended up with them being chased by soldiers intent on capturing or killing both of them... The boy had gotten away from him again during one of the more confusing incidents and when he finally managed to track the ungrateful child down again, the boy was working as an apprentice guide to some kind of heritage site deep in the mountains. At least this time the boy's ungrateful actions had potential; the place was some kind of legendary training ground called the 'Pools of Sorrow' - Genma snorted at the melodramatism of some people and what they named things; 'Pools of Sorrow', 'Cliffs of Insanity', 'Bridge of Death' - that would make it the perfect place to test him and see if there was anything of what he had taught the boy that could be salvaged. The future of Anything Goes Martial Arts... and more importantly, Genma's retirement... would depend on it...

* * *

><p>-o0O0o-<p>

Author's Note; I generally don't recommend stories, but if you liked this short, I suggest you go read Rorschach's Blot's "The Escapologist" in his Naruto collection "What If?". And now, for fifteen per cent of your final grade, class, name the two movies that were referenced in the final scene of this short...


	44. Leaving

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental _multi-fandom_ project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. For more details, see the relevent section in my profile. This is The 365 Project, 26 October.

In the immortal words of Samuel L. Clemens... "Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot. BY ORDER OF THE AUTHOR."

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and used for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit.

* * *

><p>-o0O0o-<p>

"Leaving"

By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'

-o0O0o-

* * *

><p>He hefted his bag onto his shoulder and looked around, he hadn't been there that long, but it had become home to him. For the first time in a long time, he actually was dreading getting out on the road; it didn't feel right anymore. It felt like it was tearing him apart inside. It was like a cheesy cowboy movie where the wanderer rides into town to solve everything and then finds himself wanting to stay when his job is done. The problem was, he'd watched a few of those movies once, whenever the wanderer decides to stay, he ends up getting shot by the last survivor of the bad guy's gang and kills them with his dying breath, one last shot from the wanderer's own six-shooter and he dies in the arms of his girl, usually some farmer or rancher's daughter or a girl at the local tavern. And considering that this was a farm, with his cursed life he took that to be a sign, a warning, that it was time for him to leave before something happened, something bad to those around him.<p>

With a sigh, Hibiki Ryoga lifted his battle umbrella and started walking, ignoring Akari's calls for him to come back.


	45. Don't Get Caught

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental _multi-fandom_ project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. For more details, see the relevent section in my profile. This is The 365 Project, 27 October. Sorry if this is early in the day and short, but I leave on a roadtrip later this morning and I won't be back until tomorrow afternoon, so I'm wanting to make sure I get today's story in before I leave.

In the immortal words of Samuel L. Clemens... "Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot. BY ORDER OF THE AUTHOR."

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and used for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit.

* * *

><p>-o0O0o-<p>

"Don't Get Caught"

By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'

-o0O0o-

* * *

><p>Saotome Ranma fully expected to die any moment now, killed by angry fathers or jealous fiances, last night's events replaying in his head.<p>

"We're so bad," he muttered, "Bad people, yeah..."

"Mm," the woman next to him stirred, "Not me, I'm a good girl."

"You just slept with your sister's fiancee, how can you still be a good girl, Nabs?" he asked.

The brunette shifted slightly, "They don't know yet, Akane and our fathers."

"No, but what's that gotta do with it?"

"They don't know, we're not caught. A good girl is just a bad girl who isn't caught," Nabiki explained.

"What about boys?"

"Oh, boys are _always_ bad," she looked at him and grinned, "That's what's so good about them... about you."


	46. There Waiting

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental _multi-fandom_ project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. For more details, see the relevent section in my profile. This is The 365 Project, 28 October. Back from my roadtrip and time to get writing...

In the immortal words of Samuel L. Clemens... "Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot. BY ORDER OF THE AUTHOR."

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and used for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit.

* * *

><p>-o0O0o-<p>

"There Waiting"

By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'

-o0O0o-

* * *

><p>He was settled, he'd put down roots. He'd travel the world and be happy to come back home. It was actually a relief to finish a training trip and see the compound gates coming in sight, especially when he could see her waiting there for him. It was something he dreamt about when he was away; coming down the street on a warm sunny day to see her leaning against the gate smugly satisfied with herself for getting one over on someone while he was gone. Thanks to her, he finally understood the meaning and truth in that old saying 'home is where the heart is'.<p> 


	47. Genetics At Work

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental _multi-fandom_ project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. For more details, see the relevent section in my profile. This is The 365 Project, 2 November.

In the immortal words of Samuel L. Clemens... "Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot. BY ORDER OF THE AUTHOR."

Disclaimer: Don't own Ranma 1/2 or Stargate Atlantis, don't make money off of them, don't sue me please...

* * *

><p>-o0O0o-<p>

"Genetics At Work"  
>By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'<p>

-o0O0o-

* * *

><p>Saotome Ranma looked around the room uncertainly - he wasn't sure how he felt about all of this; years of extensive physical training, sometimes with mind-scarring side-effects, was one thing... But being the couple-thousands great-grandson of an alien? That was a stretch, even if it did explain some things like the Nanban Mirror and why not everyone could use Ki-techniques. The idea of travelling to another galaxy and an alien city older than most of the places on Earth was not something he had ever expected to find himself confronted with. He could handle snakes that possessed people, little grey aliens that kept copying themselves to stay alive, even beings who were now pure life-force with no physical form...<p>

It was just _being related_ to those last ones that left him kind of uncomfortable.

But it gave him an opportunity to get away from Nerima and all the trouble, fiances and such that went with it and still do something worthy of being called 'A Man Among Men'. This other galaxy was a galaxy at war, against a opponent that had everyone there outnumbered, out-muscled and could kill people just by touching them. It would be the fight of his life... The fight he had been looking for, the fight that would forever define him as a martial artist and fighter. The... what did that guy call them, oh, yeah, 'Wraith', they could actually drain a person's life force by touching them, kinda of like what Hinako-sensei did but without needing a coin to do it.

He chuckled to himself, somehow he had a feeling that these 'Wraith' had never encountered anyone who could use their life force as a weapon before...


	48. Thus As Phillip

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental _multi-fandom_ project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. For more details, see the relevent section in my profile. This is The 365 Project, 7 November.

In the immortal words of Samuel L. Clemens... "Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot. BY ORDER OF THE AUTHOR."

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and used for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit.

* * *

><p>-o0O0o-<p>

"Thus As Phillip"

By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'

-o0O0o-

* * *

><p>He looked at the miniature obelisk before him with hard eyes, the wide and thin stone with its rounded top seemed to taunt him with its very existance. Everything it stood for was an insult to him. His fist clenched by his side and his breathing grew heavy with anger. How could anyone, he fumed mentally, honor a person themself so dishonorable? It was an offense against all nature. They didn't deserve such honor. They didn't deserve to be marked for eternity with his noble name. In one smooth and swift motion, Kuno Tatewaki had drawn his katana and sliced through his father's tombstone. Turning away from it and resheathing the live steel, he began to walk away as the upper part of the grave marker slid down and fell off the lower, carrying the Kuno name with it, seperating it from the desceased's given name.<p>

* * *

><p>-o0O0o-<p>

Author's Note: The drabble title? Well, according to some legends, Phillip of Macedonia didn't die as he was believed to have, he was actually assassinated - poisoned, if my memory is certain - by his son. That son's name? Alexander, later to be known as Alexander The Great.


	49. Consequences

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental _multi-fandom_ project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. For more details, see the relevent section in my profile. This is The 365 Project, 29 November.

In the immortal words of Samuel L. Clemens... "Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot. BY ORDER OF THE AUTHOR."

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and used for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit. Inspired by several of Snafu The Great's stories. If you like stories where the main characters take no crap and don't forgive and forget, I recommend them.

* * *

><p>-o0O0o-<p>

"Consequences"  
>By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'<p>

-o0O0o-

* * *

><p>The 'Soul of Ice' was a distant memory simply because Ranma couldn't suppress his emotions, they were too overwhelming. Anger filled his soul and his clenched his one remaining fist; all he had done for them had been forgotten and for what? Because the damned pig-boy couldn't be bothered to learn restraint instead of throwing his bandannas around like confetti in a parade. Never mind that he lost his arm making sure the eldest Tendo daughter didn't lose her life, those bastards had decided that he couldn't practice martial arts with one arm and threw him out of the Anything Goes school and out of the Saotome clan like nothing he'd been through mattered. Then, as to add insult to injury, they'd had the nerve to make that same damn porker the new heir to Anything Goes when he didn't even practice the school.<p>

He was so mad as he walked down the street that he neither noticed when it began to rain or that he was still male, the sheer emotional fire in his aura evaporating the raindrops that fell towards him before they could trigger his curse. Ranma did notice, however, when a short old man with a sack over one shoulder and a pipe in his hand landed in front of him and looked him over without even trying to splash him with cold water.

"What do _you_ want?" the pigtailed former-martial artist snapped after a moment of the two watching each other.

"So," Happosai asked, not taking offense at the statement because of what he could sense of the boy's emotional state, "What will you do now, m'boy?"

"What do you care?" Ranma snarled at the perverted troll, "Haven't you heard? Your precious students threw me out of Anything Goes, remember?"

"I've heard," Happosai puffed on his pipe a couple times before continuing, "But even if you don't agree with me, I still consider you one of my students as well and that means those two fools had no authority to ban you from Anything Goes, you're still my heir and the future of the school, no matter what they say."

"What am I going to do?" Ranma repeated the question he had been asked, raising his hand up in front of his face and looking at it, "I'm going to _crush them_... Not their bodies, even as I am now, that'd be too easy... no, I'm going to destroy their _souls_..."

The look in Ranma eyes in the streetlamp light as he said this sent a chill down Happosai's aged spine.


	50. Genetics At Work II

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental _multi-fandom_ project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. For more details, see the relevent section in my profile. This is The 365 Project, 30 November.

In the immortal words of Samuel L. Clemens... "Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot. BY ORDER OF THE AUTHOR."

Disclaimer: Don't own Ranma 1/2 or Stargate Atlantis, don't make money off of them, don't sue me please...

* * *

><p>-o0O0o-<p>

"Genetics At Work"  
>'Second Fragment'<br>By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'

-o0O0o-

* * *

><p>Saotome Ranma looked around his new room thoughtfully, "You mind if I try something?"<p>

"Depends," the United States Marine that had escorted him to the room replied, "How likely is it that it will cause something to blow up, activate some failsafe that will try and kill us all, or some other result that would make things worse than they already are around here?"

"We're in another galaxy trying to help planets full of people with Warring States Era technology fight off an entire race of half-insect vampires created because their ancestors - who are also our own for that matter - couldn't leave stuff alone and had to go messing with everything," Ranma answered deadpan, "How can it get much worse than that?"

The Marine answered honestly, "If the stories I've heard about Year One are true... yeah, it can, actually; limited supplies and jerry-rigged power to keep Atlantis functioning in addition to everything you mentioned."

Ranma snorted, "No promises."

"Corporal LaFitte to Control," the Marine raised his radio and spoke, "The new ATA-boy wants to try something. Do I give him the go-ahead? Over."

After a moment, the radio crackled back, "This is Colonel Sheppard, Corporal... What are the odds it will cause something to try and kill us? Over."

Ranma shrugged and LaFitte sighed before responding, "Colonel, odds fifty-fifty, best guess. Over."

"Well, we haven't had a major crisis all month," Sheppard's voice came back, "Give it a go. Control out."

"Affirmative, Control. LaFitte out," the Marine nodded at Ranma, "Have at... whatever you were gonna try."

"Eh, can't be worse than fighting an insane Phoenix god," Ranma answered, walking over to a panel he had noticed on the wall and not noticing the Marine's wince - Atlantis and the SGC had not had good luck over the years with beings calling themselves 'gods'.

Closing his eyes, Ranma put his hand on the panel and began focusing his aura as he would for a Hiryu Shoten Ha or Moku Takibisha, but instead of gathering it as he would for an attack, he channeled it into the panel...


	51. Consequences II

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental _multi-fandom_ project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. For more details, see the relevent section in my profile. This is The 365 Project, 1 December.

In the immortal words of Samuel L. Clemens... "Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot. BY ORDER OF THE AUTHOR."

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and used for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit. Inspired by several of Snafu The Great's stories. If you like stories where the main characters take no crap and don't forgive and forget, I recommend them.

* * *

><p>-o0O0o-<p>

"Consequences"  
>'Part II'<br>By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'

-o0o-

"When you're fighting a one-legged man in an ass-kicking contest, never forget that he still has two arms." - anon.

-o0O0o-

* * *

><p>The one-armed man growled at the person on the ground before him, disappointed, as they coughed painfully, clutching their midsection.<p>

"Not so tough without weapons and armies, are ya?" The 'freelancer problem-solver' known as 'Mustang' sneered, clenching and unclenching his one fist as he spoke.

"You cannot... destroy... my destiny," the beaten man forced out, "I will... reunite this land..."

"This land may be reunited, but it won't be under you," Mustang countered as he reached down to secure his prisoner's hands with a zip-tie and hoist them up onto his shoulder, steadying them there with what was left of his missing arm as he used his other hand to trigger his radio, "Mustang to base..."

A feminine voice with hints of England in it answered, "Go ahead, Mustang."

"Situation resolved. Ready for pickup; one briefcase of nuclear launch codes, one dictator and would-be conqueror, as well as one merc in need of a vacation."

"Transport's inbound on your signal, Mustang," the woman replied, "Pop green when you see it so they know where to land."

"Sure thing," Mustang remarked, moving his hand down to his belt to make sure he had a green smoke grenade, "And that vacation?"

"Are you asking me to join you?" the woman teased,

"That's up to you," Mustang countered, "I'm just wanting to make sure I request some place warm and tropical, preferably... and definitely away from this part of the globe."

"Being so close making you homesick?" she asked.

"Sick of being so close, more like," Mustang answered, "Eyes on evac... popping smoke now. Talk to you later - after the check clears."

"Yeah," back at the base for this operation, the support operative sighed as she heard the radio link to Mustang end, "Later, like always..."


	52. Genetics At Work III

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental _multi-fandom_ project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. For more details, see the relevent section in my profile. This is The 365 Project, 3 December.

In the immortal words of Samuel L. Clemens... "Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot. BY ORDER OF THE AUTHOR."

Disclaimer: Don't own Ranma 1/2 or Stargate Atlantis, don't make money off of them, don't sue me please...

* * *

><p>-o0O0o-<p>

"Genetics At Work"  
>'Third Fragment'<br>By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'

-o0O0o-

* * *

><p>Atlantis' scientists were still like kids in a toy store - eyes all a-glow and running around as though they weren't sure which aisle to go down next because every one held inestimable treasures - ever since the Expedition's newest 'Civilian Contractor' had done something that they would have previously considered impossible... a word that just didn't have the same impact in the Pegasus Galaxy years after the Stargate Command was formed as it once had in the Milky Way Galaxy before Earth's Stargate was activated. The CivCon, one Saotome Ranma, was one of several ATA-Positives discovered in the Orient - specifically regions of China and Japan - whose high Gene levels manifested not in superior intuition and instincts like those whose ancestry could be traced to the IrelandScotland region, but instead in a better understanding of their body and the ability to manipulate it and their own life-energies to do things that would be impossible for anyone else. Some of the SGC's scientists back on Earth had already been dispatched to the Bayankala Mountains to study in greater depth the Jusenkyo pools that Ranma had told them of, to see if they could determine how the pools and related 'curses' worked and what the Ancients might have used them for.

More important to the Expedition at the moment, however, was what had happened when Ranma had channeled his life-energy - ki, as he referred to it - into a panel he had found in his quarters and the 'Lost City' had experienced a sudden - albeit minor, compared to the amount the city would have in an ideal situation - increase in power levels and activity from Atlantis' computer systems. It had led to a breakthrough in Zero Point Module research and an understanding of one of the Pegasus sayings about the Ancients; that they put themselves into their creations. At first it had been thought merely metaphoric, relating to the time and effort anyone puts into creating something, but Ranma's actions revealed the literal meaning of it, providing the first step in learning how to recharge ZPMs, despite the fact that how to create them in the first place remained a mystery.


	53. Consequences III

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental _multi-fandom_ project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. For more details, see the relevent section in my profile. This is The 365 Project, 9 December.

In the immortal words of Samuel L. Clemens... "Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot. BY ORDER OF THE AUTHOR."

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and used for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit. Inspired by several of Snafu The Great's stories. If you like stories where the main characters take no crap and don't forgive and forget, I recommend them. Featuring a minor guest appearance by a character and location from 'Black Lagoon'

* * *

><p>-o0O0o-<p>

"Consequences"  
>'Part III'<br>By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'

-o0O0o-

* * *

><p>Yellow Flag Bar,<br>Roanapur, Thailand

"Well, well," Matthias Nielsen remarked as his fellow mercenary entered the room, "If it isn't 'The One-Armed Bandit'."

"Better than 'The Trigger-Happy Swede'," Mustang retorted, "Where's the other two?"

Matthias shrugged with a groan, "Special Forces is visiting an old friend, I understand, and Jen's at Church."

"It's not Sunday," Mustang pointed out as her pulled out a barstool next to Matthias, "Bao! Clydesdales for me and The Swede!"

"Two Clydesdales coming up," the bartender announced reaching under the bar to sit two bottles on the bar in front of his customers.

"Not Sunday, sure," Matthias replied to Mustang's remark as he struck the top of the bottle against the bar to knock the cap off, "But you know a better place to get guns?"

"What do the Americans say?" Mustang commented as he popped the top of his own drink with his thumb, "'Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition'?"

"Amen to that," the Swede chuckled, tapping his bottle against Mustang's own, and the two mercenaries drank gladly.

"So, Song's dealt with and you have a hundred million American in your bank account," Matthias sat his bottle down, "I guess that means you'll be leaving us."

Mustang snorted, "Hardly, a life of leisure just ain't for me. I'll go outta my mind if I ain't keeping busy. Besides, I'm not a mercenary for the money... well, not just the money; I get to go to exotic places, meet interesting people..."

"Kill them," Matthias jumped in.

"All that," Mustang chuckled, "And I get paid for it. There ain't no better life than this. Reminds me, need to stop in and see The Sniper before we leave town."

"What for?" Matthias snorted.

"I want to send Josef a 'thank you'," Mustang answered, "You've known him longer than the rest of us, any suggestions?"

Matthias snorted again, "Blonde and able to hold her vodka. While you're at Hotel Moscow, you might want to ask Fry-face if she knows anyone in Montenegro - Fiona said that's where the suits at ExOps are talking about sending us next."


	54. Genetics At Work IV

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental _multi-fandom_ project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. For more details, see the relevent section in my profile. This is The 365 Project, 13 December.

In the immortal words of Samuel L. Clemens... "Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot. BY ORDER OF THE AUTHOR."

Disclaimer: Don't own Ranma 1/2 or Stargate Atlantis, don't make money off of them, don't sue me please...

* * *

><p>-o0O0o-<p>

"Genetics At Work"  
>'Fourth Fragment'<br>By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'

-o0O0o-

* * *

><p>Saotome Ranma rolled his eyes as he sat perched on the railing of one of the many balconies found on Atlantis... in Atlantis? He still wasn't sure about the right way of saying it, it was on a ship - or spaceship - and in a city, but Atlantis was a city that - if they could ever find enough of those ZPM things to get it powered up all the way - was also supposed to be a spaceship. It was ironic, really, back in Nerima Ward, he'd never been able to avoid water; here on a floating city surrounded by the stuff he'd yet to have an unplanned encounter with it. The doctor he had talked to - a habit from going to Doctor Tofu for advice so often - had suggested that since he seemed to have high ATA-Gene levels, it could be a case of the city itself looking out for him since it was known to be protective of those with especially strong ATA-Genes, appearantly the city seemed to consider them no different from the actual Ancients.<p>

Ranma snorted to himself, he still was having a hard time buying the whole 'descended from aliens' thing, but he also knew that some people would feel the same way about 'Pools of Sorrow' that can curse a person to change form whenever they get wet.

"I'd love to know how you're able to do that," a voice remarked as its owner came up behind Ranma.

"Practice, lots of it," the martial artist answered, "Whatcha want, Sheppard?"

Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard, United States Air Force and Military Commander of the Atlantis Expedition, leaned against the railing next to Ranma, looking out over the city and the water, "Even with space vampires, being able to step through gateways and instantly arriving on another world, everything I've seen the past few years, I had a hard time believing it when I was told about what you can do, you know."

"I'm pissed that years of training and it turns out that 'what I can do' is because somewhere back in my family line there's an alien," Ranma replied, "It's like spitting in the eye of everything I've gone through."

"You're looking at it the wrong way," John answered, "If you had known about the ATA-gene beforehand, would you still have done all the training and everything you've been through?"

"Well..." Ranma frowned in thought, "Yeah, I guess."

"Then what does it matter?" John shrugged, "I understand better than you'd think that who you're related to doesn't change who you are yourself... probably helps that I have... problems with my family in the first place."

Ranma snorted again, "Yeah, know what that's like..."

"Rodney and the other scientists are going crazy over your abilities," John remarked.

"So I've heard."

"Since I've also got the ATA-gene... you think I can learn anything?" John asked.

Ranma turned his head to look at the American in disbelief, "Didn't you just get finished saying that the ATA-gene doesn't really matter?"

"Well, yeah, it's good to have, but there's plenty of people who get along fine without it," John admitted, "I guess you've been doing it so long you don't realise how cool the 'balance on a rail' or the 'jump two stories' things you do really are. Besides, never know when being able to do something like that might come in handy... especially considering some of the situations we get into here in Pegasus."

Ranma looked back out over the water as he thought about it, he had always thought he'd become a teaching master of the Art one day, especially after arriving at the Tendo Dojo, and even if this wasn't how he had expected it to happen, it was still a chance to see if he was good enough in the Art to successfully pass on what he knew without resorting to some of the things his Pops had done to him.

"Somebody said you're a pilot..." the Japanese CivCon commented.

"Yeah..." John answered, not sure where the other man was going with that line of questioning.

"You know that even if I do teach you how to use your ki like I can, you won't be able to fly or anything like that, right? Jump really high, sure, but not fly," Ranma informed him.

"I think I can deal with that," John replied.

Ranma gave a sharp nod, "Then we start tomorrow."


	55. Two Wrong Turns Make A What?

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental _multi-fandom_ project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. For more details, see the relevent section in my profile. This is The 365 Project, 15 December. Sorry, not feeling well today...

In the immortal words of Samuel L. Clemens... "Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot. BY ORDER OF THE AUTHOR."

Disclaimer; neither "Doctor Who" nor "Ranma 1/2" do I own. Sorry, but sick author means no clever disclaimer.

* * *

><p>-o0O0o-<p>

"Two Wrong Turns Make A What?"  
>By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'<p>

-o0O0o-

* * *

><p>The door to the blue box opened and two men stepped out; one man in a long coat and equally long scarf of many colors, the other in his teens and noticible by the yellow-with-black-spots bandanna he wore and the traveling pack on his back.<p>

"Well, this is an utterly abnormal occurance," the man with the scarf remarked, "From what I've gathered, we're in Tokyo, Japan, on September Sixth in the year 1991."

"So?" Bandanna asked, "Isn't this where we wanted to be?"

"Yes, that's what's so utterly abnormal about it," Scarf answered, "I don't actually believe that's ever happened before. Normally the old girl just seems to go wherever she wants."

Bandanna snorted, "Then it makes perfect sense. I'm cursed to never end up where I want to be, so if my curse affect the phone booth..."

"The TARDIS," Scarf corrected, "If your curse affected the TARDIS, then it could easily have caused us to end up at our actual destination instead of where she wanted to go; brilliant!"

"Wait," Bandanna looked at Scarf in disbelief, "Are you saying that curse of mine was actually good for something?"

"So it would seem," Scarf informed him, "Well, since we're here in time, it's time to worry about the timeline, isn't it? Off we go!"


	56. Genetics At Work V

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental _multi-fandom_ project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. For more details, see the relevent section in my profile. This is The 365 Project, 18 December. Sorry for any lack of quality, I'm still feeling 'under the weather' as they say...

In the immortal words of Samuel L. Clemens... "Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot. BY ORDER OF THE AUTHOR."

Disclaimer: Don't own Ranma 1/2 or Stargate Atlantis, don't make money off of them, don't sue me please...

* * *

><p>-o0O0o-<p>

"Genetics At Work"  
>'Fifth Fragment'<br>By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'

-o0O0o-

* * *

><p>It was unbelievable - even for someone who had been through everything Saotome Ranma had in his life - how stupid some people could be. His father's ideas of training in the martial arts involved various crimes and escaping from the authorities and victims; Mu Tsu somehow thought - despite repeated statements otherwise - that Ranma actually wanted to marry Xian Pu; Kuno Tatewaki was... well, he was Kuno, that said it all, especially when his father wasn't any saner than the son, what with Principal Kuno's Hawaiian obsession and slightly freakish love of pineapples and haircuts; and then there was Tendo Akane Herself with her short temper and blame-everyone-else mentality...<p>

He knew plenty of decent people too, there was always Doctor Ono Tofu - he felt sorry for the guy, really, being named after a food like that - who went out of his way to help people, including Ranma, with more than just their medical problems when he could; Tendo Kasumi was the gentlest and kindest person he had ever met - he'd recently heard one of the Americans on Atlantis use a term that despite its language fit Kasumi perfectly; she wouldn't say 'shit' if she stepped in it... he liked nice people, especially when they weren't rivals or fiancees...

But this stuff Doctor Weir and some of the others kept talking about, about trying to help the Wraith find a different food source than humans, negotiating with them and working with them, it just didn't sit well with him. Sure, Ranma had turned enemies into sorta-friends before - after the mess with the Ladle and Kettle had been solved, Herb had become not just a friend but probably the only person who could really understand how Ranma felt at times since they both were under the effects of the same Jusenkyo curse - but that just didn't work with everyone and he knew it, Ryoga was proof of it - the guy still refused to accept any responsibility for his situation and was trying to kill him up until the very day that Ranma had been contacted by the people sent by the IOA and SGC. They could talk about being buddies with the Wraith and even try it out if they ever got the chance, but Ranma had already decided that in this case, he wasn't going to take any chances, he was just going to make sure he was ready to save the day when the whole idea backfired on everyone.


	57. A Girl Worth Fighting For

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental _multi-fandom_ project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. For more details, see the relevent section in my profile. This is The 365 Project, 20 December. Only four more shopping days left folks, and don't forget - review makes great Christmas presents for authors, even if they're early.

In the immortal words of Samuel L. Clemens... "Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot. BY ORDER OF THE AUTHOR."

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 and Mulan are the properties of Takahashi Rumiko and Disney, used for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit.

* * *

><p>-o0O0o-<p>

"A Girl Worth Fighting For"  
>By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'<p>

-o0O0o-

* * *

><p>The residents of Nerima Ward stopped their daily activities and watched in a mixture of confusion and amusement as a group of young men marched down one of the main streets, formed up into a war party.<p>

A fruit vendor looked up from his stand and sighed, "Looks like they're going to the Tendo Dojo again, think we should let them know?"

"The Tendos?" her customer asked in curiousity.

"The paramedics," the vendor corrected.

* * *

><p>-o0o-<p>

"Brothers-in-arms!" Kuno Tatewaki proclaimed from the head of the procession, raising his bokken triumphantly over his head, "Today we march out to crush the Foul Sorceror in noble battle!"

"We'll slaughter him like he was nothing more than cattle!" Kumon Ryu agreed with a sneer on his face, an expression that made it clear that appearances aside this was definitely not Saotome Ranma.

"The firey sting of our righteous wrath will no longer be ignored," Kuno continued, "Remember well, all, the girls we're fighting for!"

"Yes!" Ryoga's lips pulled back and bared his teeth in a predatory smile, "The girls we're fighting for! Akane-chan thinks I have no faults..."

"Except for your unprepossessing face," Kuno interjected.

"She knows I'm a major find."

"And if you think my Fierce Tigeress would so lower herself, you have lost your mind! My manly ways and turn of phrase are sure to thrill her," Kuno proclaimed, causing others to roll their eyes.

Ryoga muttered, "He thinks he's such a lady-killer."

Snorting at the other two, Taro drew himself up proudly, "I've got a girl back home who is unlike any other."

"Yeah, the only girl who'd love him is his mother," Ryoga remarked to himself.

"If you're not here to rescue your love from Saotome's clutches," Mousse demanded, "Then why are you here?"

"Because I beat his precious heir, the old thief will come and I'll have a chance to force him to change my name," Taro retorted.

"That's fine for you," Mousse shot back, "But for the rest of us, it's our girls we're fighting for!"

"Yes," Kuno proclaimed loudly, "That's who we're fighting..."

The kendoist's words died off in his mouth and the procession stopped twenty feet from the gate to the Tendo Dojo; a gate that was open but blocked by two feminine figures, each armed, one with a wooden mallet and the other with a Chinese mace, and glowing with battle fury.

"I think I'll come back later," Taro gulped, stepping sideways out away from the other males and out of the line of fire.


	58. In The Valley Of The Gun

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental _multi-fandom_ project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. For more details, see the relevent section in my profile. This is The 365 Project, 22 December.

In the immortal words of Samuel L. Clemens... "Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot. BY ORDER OF THE AUTHOR."

Disclaimer: "Ranma 1/2" is the creation and property of Takahashi Rumiko, used for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit. Warning: DARK. Repeat; DARK and involves character deaths. Don't read further if you have problems with that.

* * *

><p>-o0O0o-<p>

"In The Valley Of The Gun"  
>By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'<p>

-o0o-

"There were seven Spanish angels; at the altar of The Son, and they were praying for the lovers in the valley of the gun. When the battle stopped and the smoke cleared, there was thunder from the Throne and seven Spanish angels took another angel home." - 'Seven Spanish Angels', Willie Nelson and Ray Charles.

-o0O0o-

* * *

><p>Saotome Ranma looked at the forces arrayed against him, acknowledging in his heart that it had finally come to this. There would be no surrender, there could be no mercy, like it was against Saffron it was now kill or be killed. A part of his mind managed to avoid the darkness that hung over him like a cloak to form the thought that he had better things to do that night than die, but he quashed the thought, not needing the distraction that it brought. It seemed like the only members of the Fiancee Brigade and Rivals that were missing were Taro, Ryu and Mousse. That made sense; Taro and Ryu's problems were with Happosai and Genma, respectively, not with Ranma himself and Mousse didn't have a problem with the current situation since it meant Ranma would no longer 'be coming between him and his beloved Shampoo'.<p>

-o0o-

A brown-haired girl watched the scene from a fifth-floor balcony of a nearby apartment building, this was what they had left Nerima Ward to avoid. They'd failed, she'd failed, she hadn't covered their tracks well enough and Nerima had found them. A tear fell from her eye to crash to the pavement far below as she prayed to gods she didn't usually believe in to keep him safe and keep them free.

-o0o-

Ranma had once heard someone say that dodging 'a' bullet was easy, it was dodging many bullets that was tricky. He could now knowingly state that it applied to other attacks as well, not just being shot at. He'd managed to take out some of his opponents - Akane would find it difficult to use that mallet of her's after losing an arm to his vacuum blades, Kodachi would never look the same after being on the recieving end of her own razor-ribbon, and Genma's life would consist of bamboo and pain now that his son had hit him with the Amazon's 'Cat's Tongue' pressure point - but this wasn't a martial arts movie where enemies waited in a circle and took turns fighting him. Instead, they were coming at him two and three at a time; blocking a bonborri from Shampoo would leave him open to being cut by Kuno's katana, but if he tried to dodge the katana then he found himself at the epicenter of one of Ryoga's Breaking Point attacks; slowly but certain as glacial movement, Ranma was finding himself overwhelmed by sheer numbers. By attacking in waves, they were giving each other time to heal and regroup while he was slowly being worn down. He was tiring and that made it more likely that he would make a mistake... and just one was all it would take...

-o0o-

Watching from the balcony of their apartment, Saotome Nabiki screamed in horror as she saw Kuno stab her husband in the back with his katana, taking him by surprise and leaving an opening for Ryoga to bring his heavy umbrella down on Ranma's head with a sickening sound. When Shampoo looked up and pointed her bonborri in Nabiki's direction, the brunette knew they were coming for her next. With her hands on the metal railing, Nabiki lifted her leg and swung it across to the outside of the railing. They were coming for her, but they wouldn't get her. Nabiki released the railing and shifted her weight, strangely enough despite the fact that she was now falling, she felt at peace...


	59. Consequences IV

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental _multi-fandom_ project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. For more details, see the relevent section in my profile. This is The 365 Project, 22 December.

In the immortal words of Samuel L. Clemens... "Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot. BY ORDER OF THE AUTHOR."

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and used for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit. Inspired by several of Snafu The Great's stories. If you like stories where the main characters take no crap and don't forgive and forget, I recommend them.

-o0O0o-

"Consequences"  
>'Part IV'<br>By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'

-o0O0o-

Headquarters, Private Military Company  
>"Executive Operations"<br>2009

The door to the room where the Executive Operations board of directors were meeting burst open to display a Royal Flush of pissed off mercenaries;

The Ace; 'Mustang', a Japanese-born man who never gave his real name to anyone, known for having practiced martial arts literally since he could walk and capable of beating any opponent one-handed - because he only had one arm after the incident that had led to him becoming a mercenary.

The King; Chris Jacobs, formerly a Sergeant in the United States Special Forces, he'd resigned after an incident where his unit was almost completely wiped out by friendly fire that was covered up to protect the careers of certain high-ranking officers.

The Queen; Jennifer Mui, born in Hong Kong to a Chinese diplomat and a British Embassy secretary, Jennifer had a taste for a combination of adventure and the high-life that her former career in British Military Intelligence couldn't fill.

The Jack; Matthias Nielson, 'The Swede', former Swedish biker gang member and career criminal who took the Swedish Navy over prison when given the choice, but was discharged after an incident involving where he struck an officer.

The Ten; Fiona Taylor, the group's support operative and the only one standing in the doorway who didn't look like they had been through a warzone.

Not a one of them was happy, it was clear on their faces as they looked harshly at the ExOps board.

"Something wrong, gentlemen? - And I use that term very loosely," Jen asked, eyes sweeping across the board members.

"Miss Mui," one of the board stood up and spoke, "We had thought that you and your team were dead."

"Hoped we were dead, you mean," Jen corrected.

"You hung us out to dry," Matthias glared at them.

"Not even that good," Chris corrected, "You set us up... and we know why, too."

"I took the liberty of re-examining our ExOps employment contracts," Fiona added, "I found Article 14, Section 31 of the contract that says any bounty money collected reverts to ExOps if an operative dies while they're still an ExOps employee."

"A hundred million American," Mustang spat at them, "Each of our lives were worth twenty million dollars to you suit-wearing jackasses. Too bad for you, I'm still alive."

"And we quit," Matthis interjected, "Just in case you're having a hard time figuring it out."

Mustang reached into a pocket and threw a stack of bills on the table, "Payment for the door."

The board stood there and watched as the group turned and started walking away.

"So," Fiona remarked that the board could hear, "I hear South America's nice this time of year."


	60. Nabiki's Game

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental _multi-fandom_ project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. For more details, see the relevent section in my profile. This is The 365 Project, 28 December.

In the immortal words of Samuel L. Clemens... "Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot. BY ORDER OF THE AUTHOR."

Disclaimer: "Ranma 1/2" is the creation and property of Takahashi Rumiko, used for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit.

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><p>-o0O0o-<p>

"Nabiki's Game"  
>By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'<p>

-o0O0o-

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><p>To win a game, it helps to know the playing field, the pieces and how they affect each other. Of all the fiancees and rivals in Nerima Ward, Tendo Nabiki had long since learned that the easiest two to manipulate - and play against each other - were the Kuno siblings; Tatewaki and Kodachi. Despite their mutual distaste for each other, the two were actually more alike than they would ever care to admit; each was the captain of one of their schools' competitive teams, they each had a self-granted title that was really too grandiose to take seriously... and perhaps the most amusing similarity of all, each of them chased after one of Saotome Ranma's different forms and refused to accept any evidence, even that of their own eyes, to the existance of Ranma's Jusenkyo curse or to the fact that he had no interest in either of them. All of which meant, quite simply, that combined they were one of Nabiki's best sources of income and entertainment. When she wasn't selling Kodachi pictures of Ranma or Tatewaki pictures of Ranma's curse form, she was creating rumors to set the two siblings at odds. Today's confrontation between Furinkan's 'Blue Thunder' and St. Hebreke's 'Black Rose' had been almost too easy to engineer; a rumor at St. Hebreke's that Tatewaki planned to defeat Ranma and hold him hostage for the release of his 'Pig-Tailed Goddess' had put Kodachi on the warpath and letting Tatewaki hear talk that Kodachi planned to eliminate the 'Red-haired Harridan' and all the trouble she caused Kodachi's 'Ranma-sama' had caused the wanna-be samurai to set out to defend his 'Fierce Tigeress'.<p>

Nabiki still had yet to figure out, despite years of trying, where the whole European medieval chivalry concept had gotten mixed into Tatewaki's idea of a samurai.

The end result was the two Kunos engaged in a family fight that would impress even the most violently-inclined onlookers, all the while Nabiki sat on the school roof watching and eating her lunch, enjoying the meal and show combination.

It had taken Ranma himself a few minutes to track her down, but he was also there on the roof, posing the bob-haired brunette a question; "Don't you ever get tired of watching bad things happen to people?"

Nabiki didn't even blink, "That's crazy talk."


	61. Genetics At Work VI

In the immortal words of Samuel L. Clemens... "Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot. BY ORDER OF THE AUTHOR."

Disclaimer: Don't own Ranma 1/2 or Stargate Atlantis, don't make money off of them, don't sue me please...

* * *

><p>-o0O0o-<p>

"Genetics At Work"  
>By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'<p>

-o0O0o-

* * *

><p>It was official, Saotome Ranma had decided shortly after encountering them for the first time - the Genii were like a whole race of his father, lacking only the eating habits. They had the arrogant and superior attitude mixed with the same lack of caring for anyone but themselves; they used the same kind of excuses like what they did being 'for the good of the Pegasus Galaxy' just like Genma claimed everything was 'for the good of The Art'; they blamed everyone else for their own mistakes and would lie, cheat and steal even from their own supposed allies. If he hadn't pushed for the part-time panda to never be informed about the Stargate, the Ancients and everything that went along with them - no matter what percentage ATA-Gene he might possess - pointing to his record and habits as a reason, Genma would probably fit right in with the Genii leadership. He might even become their Prime Minister or whatever they called it - Ranma hadn't really paid attention to that part of the briefing. Unfortunately for the Genii, they didn't have that thin strand of family bond that kept him from seeing to it that Genma got what he actually deserved protecting them. The hard part was going to be keeping himself from taking everything that Genma should be getting out on Kolya and the rest of the Genii.<p> 


End file.
